STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Introduction
STEM Learning is the largest provider of education and careers support for science, technology, engineering, and maths The organisation believes that these four important curriculum subjects should be a fundamental part of education today to provide young people with the knowledge and skills they will need to participate fully as “creators and citizens of tomorrow”.
The STEM Ambassador Programme is a fantastic way for employers to help in this process – to make a difference to young people’s futures and build greater links to the local community. The programme plays a key role in inspiring young people making them aware of the wide range of opportunities available to them and the various career pathways.
The Ambassador Programme is supported by UKRI, the national funding agency investing in science and research across the whole of the UK. Over the past twenty years, STEM Learning has created a regional network of 17 STEM Ambassador Hubs to co-ordinate the volunteering opportunities of all their STEM ambassadors.
What are the Benefits for Companies to join the Programme?
- It helps raise your profile in the local community plus an opportunity to expand regional and national presence.
- It helps support your recruitment efforts, boosting future technical personnel – grow your own employees!
- It develops your employees’ skills and experience encouraging greater engagement with you as a company
- Provides a flexible approach to how you engage with the programme to suit your organisation
- Provides access to free training, online and face to face, plus a range of resources from your local hub aimed at all age groups
- It is an opportunity to offer specific career sector information to young people and their teachers
Every company has a different approach to volunteering and the type of activities they choose to support or deliver – flexibility is the key and the success of the Programme:
| Level of engagement | What does it look like? | Impact on organisation | Support from STEM Learning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | Encourage staff to sign up, sharing the STEM Ambassador handbook and sign-up guide. Allow time off for volunteering. | Increase morale and employee retention- companies that offer 1-3 days' volunteering time are more likely to retain staff and have a happier workforce. Develop skills such as communication and teamwork. Increase awareness of your sector and organisation. | Access to free training online and delivered by your workplace by the local STEM Ambassador Hub. Employees register as STEM Ambassadors and receive a free enhanced DBS/PVG check. Make connections with schools and the community and find volunteering opportunities using the STEM Ambassador platform. |
| Medium | Host a sign-up event. Develop targets around engagement with young people. Host activities at your site or plan your own bespoke activities to deliver to young people at school, in the community or online. | Improve local recruitment. Positive brand awareness. Develop relationships with schools and community groups. | e can help with volunteering management. Our employer reporting helps you set up events and keep track of hours of time volunteered to feed into reporting. |
| High | Embed the programme into your workplace culture. Promoting it in inductions and including it as part of any apprenticeship or graduate programme. Run events for young people at your workplaces. Work with STEM Learning to develop bespoke resources for volunteers related to your company or industry. Appoint a volunteering or outreach co-ordinator. | Demonstrate sector leadership through best practice in outreach. Increase recruitment and retention at all career stages through a strong programme of CSR and employee development opportunities. Support the future pipeline in your organisation and sector. | Your local STEM Ambassador Hub can work with you to develop and implement an education outreach strategy. Creating careers resources for your organisation, supporting events and possible PR opportunities. We can also work with you to develop and implement an education outreach programme. |
Benefits for individual STEM Ambassadors
Joining the network of 33,000 STEM Ambassador volunteers gives and opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of young people:
- Support their learning and help them to apply their learning to the real world.
- Showcase different careers, provide information on roles and pathways into industry while raising awareness of the skills that are important in the workplace.
- Raise aspirations – give young people the opportunity to meet a wide range of inspiring role models, encouraging them to think about their future.
On a personal level volunteering
- Provides you with a sense of purpose
- Provides a sense of community
- Helps you meet new friends
- Increases your social skills
- Improves self-esteem
- Teaches you valuable skills
- Brings fun to your life
Support from the the Ambassadors Programme
- Free training and support to enhance your volunteering, both online and face to face.
- Easy access to volunteering opportunities through the STEM Hub website and mobile app.
- A free enhanced DBS/PVG check, safeguarding training and cover by the programme’s public liability insurance.
- Free loan of a wide range of physical resources from your local Hub to help with activities
- Access point to a library of downloadable resources and handbooks
