MEDWAY EDUCATION BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP
MEBP's mission is to develop the employability skills of all Kent and Medway's young people, to prepare them for work and citizenship, and in so doing support the future workforce. MEBP does this by engaging employers to support a wide range of activities, in the classroom and workplace, for children of all ages and abilities.
Donate to this charity
YOUNG ECO ENGINEERS PROJECT
We have been running the Young Eco Engineers Project for over 20 years, supporting mainly Year 6 students to design and make an electric car from a kit, with in-school support from local engineers, teachers and friends of the schools.
The project is amazingly successful, developing technical, educational and personal skills in the children involved and engaging the whole schools' community in the children's enterprise. You can see some of their comments below.
However, the kits the schools use are coming to the end of their useful lives, they are dismantled each year to be rebuilt by new groups of children, and many of them are as old as the project. To replace the kits is prohibitively expensive and now the project itself is in danger!
We are hoping that we can raise sufficient funds to produce new kits, so we can replace the old ones and sign up the new schools who are desperate to join in.
Some feedback from the teachers:
“Brilliant project and even more brilliant races. We entered some of our most challenged children and the difference it has made to their confidence and commitment can't be underestimated”
“…they really came out of their shells and worked well together that is something that we had not seen from these pupils before”
“Their attendance improved due to wanting to be in but also they would talk about it all week with peers”
“This is the 2nd SEN school I have entered with and I am always very proud of how they manage to compete alongside mainstream schools”
“Thank you so much for a really valuable and worthwhile provision for the children”
“They were all totally engaged from the outset and were interested to see women working as engineers - great positive role models! The next year 6 are really looking forward to working on this project. Excellent!!”
“YEE is amazing project the children gain so much from”
"It’s a wonderful project that enhances school in so many ways”
“Both the boys and girls loved all aspects of building the cars and racing them. The team-building effect was very interesting to see develop into a deep bond”
“You can actually see the budding engineers emerging!”
Some comments from the children:
“I waited four years to take part and it was brilliant. Best thing I've done at school. One of my best memories of my time at St Margaret’s.”
“I want to be a car mechanic now. The best bit was driving the car - an awesome day”
“A thrilling experience - I want to race cars! I was a bit nervous to begin with, but I loved it.”
“I really enjoyed building the car. I can't believe we actually built it! It proved to us that we can do challenging things.”
“Best day ever. Can we do it again next year? I loved it”
“Making the cars was brilliant and driving around the playground while the younger children watched was cool.”
“Building the cars was difficult, but I learnt how to use so many tools and how spanners make turning things easier.”