DCS Chair _ goes back [37 years] to school, to launch RICS Inspire Programme
Following an invitation to attend an 'ice-breaker' on 9 August 2019, a follow up meeting on 23 September 2019 and a subsequent meeting of minds between Mr Gregory Logan, Head of School and DCS Founder and Chair, Bola Abisogun OBE FRICS; a firm decision to attend Daubeney Primary School, later on in the year, to present to a cohort of Year 6 students, was finally agreed.
Daubeney School, located adjacent to the Kingsmead Estate in the North of the London Borough of Hackney was opened in 1886 as Daubeney Rd and renamed in 1949, as Daubeney Primary School, catering for over 1000 pupils. Since then, the school has evolved into a ‘centre of excellence’ and remains part of a commendable legacy achieved by the now Hackney Learning Trust.
The Inspire Programme event held earlier today [19.11.19] was the culmination of a longstanding working relationship with LB Hackney [Children’s Services, with a focus on the #YBM project, led by Cllr Anntoinette Bramble] and Hackney Learning Trust. In addition to the aforementioned strategic alliance, an extensive piece of outreach and nationwide research undertaken by RICS, over the last two to three years, provided much needed visibility on a nationwide initiative, initially led by Sally Garcia at RICS. In summary, the RICS Inspire Programme, is an attempt to engage the #NextGen talent pool at an even earlier and critical stage in their formative educational development; as they prepare to leave primary and enter secondary school. A portal, created by RICS, has since been developed and gone live, the content of which can be accessed here.
Once the students found out that Bola had in fact lived on the Kingsmead Estate himself and also attended Daubeney School in his formative years (leaving to go onto Homerton House, Secondary School back in 1982), many felt capable of achieving anything, including a future visit with the monarchy ‘for helping others’. As stated in a piece by Yr 6 teacher, Matthew Swarbrick, the students were left with a final message, a hashtag that read
There were approximately 60 Year 6 students present throughout the hour long conversation and all were actively preparing to leave Daubeney Primary School where they had been equipped with the requisite ‘soft-skills’ to conduct a thought-provoking conversation around future aspirations and careers, with a particular focus on the world of Surveying. It is safe to say that whilst many in the room had little, if any, prior knowledge of Surveying as an occupation, by the end of the presentation and having fielded [far too many] questions on the extent of global travel undertaken by Bola (!!)……., many of the students were comfortable of their understanding and awareness of the Surveying route and in particular Quantity Surveying [i.e. #QS2030].
In fact, to be called ‘Sir’ and pulled aside by two students who affirmed that they had been inspired by Bola’s effort, was clearly a job well done. The teaching staff, also present were equally impressed and desirous of a further conversation around next steps and a possible part 2…… much more to follow.
So the work continues, as we at DCS aspire to extend the conversation with those from non-traditional backgrounds and grow a diverse pool of #FutureTalent, one career at a time (and sometimes in groups!!).