Dear STEM Ambassador,

Welcome to the first STEM Ambassador newsletter of 2016-17 academic year – we hope you are all ready and raring to go as there is a lot of STEM to be volunteering for. Your region needs you!

In preparation for the new school year we are trying a new format for the school requests on the newsletter. Hopefully it will be more straightforward and you will be able to find suitable activities with which to get involved. To browse the region’s activities online in a sortable spreadsheet please go to http://bit.ly/2bPphcF. And if you have any feedback on the new formatting, then please do let us know.

If you are already engaged with a school or another youth group through STEM, then please let us know and we can record this as an activity on your behalf.

In this month’s newsletter…

STEM Opportunities - B&NES, Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire

STEM Opportunities – Somerset

STEM Inspiration Awards 2016

A statement on the merger of STEMNET and STEM Learning

B&NES, Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire

Venue / Location / Postcode / Activity Type / Start date / Full Description / Contact / Express an interest
Bath Community Academy / Bath & North East Somerset / BA2 2QL / STEM Clubs / 01-09-16 / Project Phoenix – The school is looking for a STEM challenge to run across terms 1&2 on Friday afternoons. / Rhona / Express an interest in this activity
Community centres / libraries / Bristol / TBC / STEM Clubs / 01-09-16 / Digi{Local} and Code Clubs, Bristol – From September. Support wanted for local coding events and clubs. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Oasis Academy John Williams / Bristol / BS14 9BU / Curriculum support / 01-09-16 / Maths support, run an activity or project / Rhona / Express an interest in this activity
Oasis Academy John Williams / Bristol / BS14 9BU / Curriculum support / 01-09-16 / The school does not have any staff specialising in coding and would like support with their Micro:bits. / Rhona / Express an interest in this activity
Oasis Academy John Williams / Bristol / BS14 9BU / STEM Clubs / 01-09-16 / The school are looking for a project idea to engage students with nature and the school environment. / Rhona / Express an interest in this activity
Two Mile Hill Primary School / Bristol / BS15 8AA / Other / 01-09-16 / The school are keen to recruit more governors with a STEM background, get in touch for more information / Rhona / Express an interest in this activity
Nailsea School / North Somerset / BS48 2HN / Curriculum support / 01-09-16 / Food technologists / scientists to help bring STEM into their new Young Chefs Competition. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Winterbourne International Academy / South Gloucestershire / BS36 1JL / Careers / 01-09-16 / Participate in a Careers in STEM talk programme for KS4 students / Rhona / Express an interest in this activity
Winterbourne International Academy / South Gloucestershire / BS36 1JL / Curriculum support / 01-09-16 / Support Engineering students by providing facilities to do materials testing and / or hosting a tour of injection moulding or extrusion facilities. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Brimsham Green School / South Gloucestershire / BS37 7LB / Curriculum support / 08-09-16 / 1pm-3pm, could also be 22-09-16. Motivate Year 9 science classes by telling them about your career in STEM / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
St Mark’s School / Bath & North East Somerset / BA1 6ND / Workshops / 16-09-16 / Deliver a 30 min interactive workshop at a Year 6 & 7 STEM Conference. Repeated 6 times, 25-30 pupils each session. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Redland Green School / Bristol / BS6 7EH / Careers / 23-09-16 / Market-place style all day event aimed at students in Years 7-13; display material regarding your company, job opportunities within it, the industry or educational opportunities available. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Bristol (looking for employer to host) / Bristol / TBC / Careers / 27-09-16 / Pathways To Professions. Talk at event for Careers Advisers promoting understanding of engineering careers / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Broadlands Academy / Bath & North East Somerset / BS31 2DY / Careers / 28-09-16 / 2pm – 4:30pm. Have a stand at the school’s annual Careers Fair, for students up to Year 11. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Patchway Community College / South Gloucestershire / BS32 4AJ / Workshops / 28-09-16 / 8:30–12:30. Bridge building - Support teams, test bridges and judge at a bridge building challenge for Yr 7 students. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Henbury School / Bristol / BS10 7QH / Careers / 05-10-16 / Evening. Options post-16 – discuss apprenticeships and the qualities you would be looking for in an apprentice. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
St Katherine’s School / North Somerset / BS20 0HU / STEM Events / 11-10-16 / 3:30pm – 4:30pm. Tea With a Scientist. Give a short talk about your life in STEM, followed by a Q and A session with pupils. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Bath Guildhall / Bath & North East Somerset / TBC / Careers / 18-10-16 / 7pm-9:30pm, Degree and Higher Apprenticeship Conference Yr12/13 students in Bath schools. Networking / be part of Q and A session. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
North Somerset Enterprise and Technology College / North Somerset / BS24 8EE / Careers / 20-10-16 / 4pm – 7pm. Have a stand at a STEM Careers Fair for students at this STEM specialist school. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
St Bernadette School / Bristol / BS14 9LS / STEM Events / 26-10-16 / The school would like STEM Ambassadors to support their next STEM Day. All volunteers welcome! / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Downend School / South Gloucestershire / BS16 6XA / Careers / 11-11-16 / STEM Speed Networking -working with very samll groups of pupils, introduce yourself and you job and answer some questions about yourself, in a series of 3 minute bursts. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Bridge Learning Campus / Bristol / BS13 0RL / Careers / 16-11-16 / The school is running a Careers Fair and would like Ambassadors to run stands or give talks in subject zones. / Rhona / Express an interest in this activity
Oasis Academy Brislington / Bristol / BS4 5EY / Careers / 23-11-16 / All day. The school is running a Careers Fair for years 9-11. / Rhona / Express an interest in this activity
Bridge Learning Campus / Bristol / BS13 0RL / Careers / 01-12-16 / Help with mock Interviews with Year 11 students. / Rhona / Express an interest in this activity
Various / Bristol / TBC / Workshops / TBC / People Like Me - Ambassadors who have attended training are invited to run a workshop. 5 schools in the area have expressed interest. / Rhona / Express an interest in this activity

Somerset

Venue / Location / Post code / Activity Type / Start date / Full Description / Contact / Express an interest
Richard Huish College / Somerset / TA1 3DZ / Careers / 02-09-16 / Support students and parents careers day, particularly with regards to higher apprenticeship opportunities. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Kingsmead Academy / Somerset / TA4 2NE / Careers / 15-09-16 / College & Careers Evening - speak to students in years 10 – 11 and their parents. The aim is to have informal conversations with students and parents to give a flavour of STEM careers available. 5:30pm - 8:30pm / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Strode College / Somerset / BA16 0AB / Curriculum support / 19-09-16 / Year 12 BTech Business students would like a finance/business talk outlining how a company works / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Yeovil (TBC) / Somerset / TBC / Ambassador training / 01-10-16 / Pitch Writing Workshop for Five Minute Millions. Prepare your pitch before testing your skills in this reverse Dragon's Den activity. See http://somersetfmm.eventbrite.co.uk to register and for more information. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Bridgwater College Academy / Somerset / TA6 4QY / Workshops / 05-10-16 / Deliver a practical STEM workshop for Year 10 students during their Challenge Day. Any STEM topic as long as it involves STEM skills, length 1.25 hrs repeated 3 or 4 times / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Robert Blake Science College / Somerset / TA6 6AW / STEM Events / 08-11-16 / Give students the opportunity to solve a challenge set by an employer. 30 students of mixed age and ability who would work with you during the day on your challenge. The challenge could be anything relevant to the local area or sector. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity
Fleet Air Arm Museum / Somerset / BA22 8HT / Careers / 15-11-16 / Be part of the STEM Arena at the South Somerset Careers Fair, demonstrating a particular element of your business to a group of pupils through a practical demonstration. / Liz / Express an interest in this activity

STEM Inspiration Awards 2016

The STEM Inspiration Awards recognise the UK’s most dedicated and inspirational people motivating young people in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Winners in six award categories will be announced at the annual STEM Inspiration Awards ceremony, at the House of Lords, hosted by Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 24 November 2016.

Award entrants can nominate themselves, or nominate on behalf of somebody else. There is no limit as to the number of categories that anyone can nominate in and all finalists will be decided by an expert panel. Nominations can be made until 12 noon on 30 September 2016. Categories are STEM Ambassador, STEM Apprentice, STEM Employer, STEM Club, STEM Teacher, and the Joan Sjøvoll STEM Leadership Award.

For more information and to nominate, go to http://www.stemnet.org.uk/2016-awards-now-open/

And finally… a statement on the merger of STEMNET and STEM Learning

Following the merger of STEMNET and STEM Learning Ltd on August 1st 2016, the STEM Ambassadors programme is now being coordinated by STEM Learning. We will continue to manage the programme in Bristol, Bath and Somerset and will remain your main point of contact until the end of September 2016. From October 2016 onwards STEM Learning will establish a network of new STEM Ambassador Hubs with partner organisations across the UK which will be instrumental in the next phase of the development of the STEM Ambassadors programme.

Keep in touch!

Liz & Rhona