Unity Academy is delighted and would like to congratulate Kieran P (Year 10) for being an incredible ambassador for both the academy and the Fylde Coast Academy Trust whilst delivering a presentation at a London conference recently.
All smiles! - Kieran at the conference
The National Headstart Learning Conference, hosted by the Anna Freud Centre in London, took place on the 11th January 2018 with well over 250 people in attendance - including HRH, the Duchess of Cambridge!
Blackpool HeadStart, which Kieran represents, were paired up with another HeadStart area and tasked to deliver a presentation on co-production. The planning in preparation for the day meant Kieran and his team selflessly gave up their own time outside of school to help create and practise for the big event.
Kieran’s main part of the presentation was to help share HeadStart Blackpool’s Top 10 tips for co-production, which he had been involved in creating alongside with the rest of our Young People’s Executive Group (YPEG). Kieran attends this group and is co-chair. The purpose of the YPEG is to give young people a voice and the opportunity to have an active impact on the HeadStart programme and the resilience agenda in Blackpool.
On the day, Kieran stood up on stage in front of 250+ people, including the Duchess of Cambridge, to deliver the presentation. It received tremendous feedback with the audience claiming it to be funny, engaging and light hearted but powerful and purposeful at the same time – to put it simply, Kieran and the team absolutely smashed it!
Kieran also had the opportunity to speak in a private room along with the rest of the young people in attendance with the Duchess of Cambridge, who was interested in young people’s views on mental health and resilience. Kieran was a key part of this discussion and even revisited the topic later on in the day with the Duchess.
Kieran also sat on a panel in the afternoon in front of the whole audience, which was made up of professionals and academics. Panellists were asked questions about young people’s involvement in mental health research and support services. Kieran again articulated some fantastic answers.
Throughout the day Kieran was a credit to our academy, as well as HeadStart, the Fylde Coast Academy Trust and to Blackpool. His contribution to not only this particular event but to our school and to HeadStart in general has been huge and he deserves all the plaudits he receives.
Following this news, Kieran was invited personally by our principal, Mr Cooke, to accept a prestigious Principal’s Commendation Award.
A massive congratulations and well done to Kieran! - In Unity we are PROUD.