North Belfast Students Bank Generation Innovation Experience

 

 

Students at Belfast Boys’ Model School had the opportunity to put their entrepreneurial skills to the test as part of an immersive one day workshop delivered by Catalyst and Bank of Ireland UK.

Generation Innovation is a Catalyst programme designed to inform and upskill the young people to thrive as the next leaders and innovators. Part of the programme involves ‘Impact Days’ – a one-day, fully immersive Design Thinking experience, which empower students to identify a problem and work through different stages to create a solution and design a prototype.

With financial wellbeing identified as a key life skill, the students were set the challenge of looking at how to help young people make better financial decisions so they make informed choices and take charge of their own financial future.

Speaking about the programme, Generation Innovation Programme Manager, Ally Armstrong said: “We are passionate about developing the entrepreneurial eco-system across Northern Ireland and a vital part of that is helping young people to see that they are the innovators and entrepreneurs of the future.

“Our Impact Days show the young people taking part that they have the skills to succeed, further developing their ability to think creatively with a focus on end-user solutions, all of which they need for entrepreneurship and employment.”

The Belfast Boys’ Model students were supported on the day by Bank of Ireland UK Senior Community Engagement Manager Shirleen McCann, Partner & Business Engagement Manager, Colin Crangle and Community Engagement Manager Elisha McNulty. The event was part of a wider partnership between Bank of Ireland UK and Catalyst designed to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship across Northern Ireland.

Belfast Boys’ Model Principal Mrs Montgomery said: “It’s so important for students to have access to the wealth of opportunities and careers that are available to them and today’s session brought entrepreneurship to life at the same time as providing a practical insight into the skills that employers look for.

“I would like thank both the Catalyst and Bank of Ireland UK teams for bringing the Generation Innovation Impact Day to our students. ”

To date more than 1,700 students across Northern Ireland have taken part in an Impact Day, with a further 4,300 students in more than 50 schools involved in smaller Generation Innovation workshops with Catalyst. Further details on the programme is available at: generationinnovation.co

Helping to educate young people on financial literacy, Bank of Ireland UK provides a range of free, accessible online supports, which are available at: Youth Financial Wellbeing – Bank of Ireland UK.