{"id":1898,"date":"2013-08-05T16:38:42","date_gmt":"2013-08-05T14:38:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/euroalter.local\/news\/how-to-spark-a-living\/"},"modified":"2020-03-03T12:16:52","modified_gmt":"2020-03-03T11:16:52","slug":"how-to-spark-a-living","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/euroalter.com\/fr\/how-to-spark-a-living\/","title":{"rendered":"HOW TO SPARK A LIVING"},"content":{"rendered":"
As part of our Making a Living<\/a> project, we’re also exploring how groups are testing new methods to help people develop their skills. We interviewed Eugenie Teasley<\/a>, a social innovator who\u2019s helping other young people develop their skills to hack themselves new ways to make a living.We ask her what motivated her to start her business, how young people co-create the projects themselves, how they can translate experiences from their personal life into skills for the workplace and why you need a little spark and mettle to make a living.Your Star Track<\/a> programme helps people map and launch their dream career. Many people argue that young people should be happy with getting any job. What motivated you to start a programme to help young people think about what they really want to do for a living? <\/strong>There are lots of young people who have realistic aspirations in the UK, but they just don\u2019t have the connections or the resources to help achieve them. And yet there are also lots of people who have found the way to a job that they love who are willing and excited to give advice<\/span><\/strong>, support and guidance. I felt I was in a good position to connect these two groups together.<\/p>\n

One of your Star Track videos talks about it being a \u201cnew way to map and launch happy careers (and lives)\u201d. How important is it that young people can feel good about what they want to do for a living? How does Star Track help them do that?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s always a tension between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, especially when it comes to work. I think that there are a lot of driven and capable young people whose career chances are capped because of where they come from or who they know, and that frustrates me.<\/p>\n

But at the same time, I think it\u2019s important to learn or to be reminded, that doing work that benefits others is a great thing to look for\u2014not just working for charities, but anything that can contribute to rather than detract from the greater good. Through Star Track we unpick young people\u2019s motivations and ambitions, and see if we can help them map it all to a bespoke course of action that is achievable and beneficial to them and to others. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

What type of expectations do young people have about how they can make a living when they join your programme? (How) do these change by the time they\u2019ve completed it? <\/strong><\/p>\n

We tend to attract young people who want to do something a bit different\u2014non-traditional careers such as design, technology or entrepreneurship \u2014 and we try to support them achieve that by connecting them to people who can help them, and also giving them greater insight into themselves and their hopes. A lot of them expect to work a job while developing their skills and interests on the side, which we actively encourage.<\/p>\n

What type of support do you find most important to help young people cope with trying to make a living? <\/strong><\/p>\n

A lot of it comes down to reassurance\u2014that they\u2019re not doing anything wrong; they just haven\u2019t had a break. That and the contacts we can help them make. Most support programmes are delivered to young people.<\/p>\n

How does inviting young people to co-create your programmes help them (and you!) meet their goals? <\/strong><\/p>\n

It means that the programme is as relevant as possible to them, rather than imposed on them. But it also means that we have to be adaptive and responsive. It\u2019s a great reminder that we don\u2019t have The Answer, and it enables young people to take ownership of their own journey too.<\/p>\n

There is a growing trend of social media tools incentivising people to \u201cpimp their status\u201d. You use social media to engage with young people. How do you think young people can (and are!) using these new skills to build portfolios for their career? <\/strong><\/p>\n

There are brilliant examples of young people making films, Gifs or even using Amazon to promote themselves. We want to bring those examples to a greater swathe of young people and encourage them to have the confidence and creativity to do it themselves.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Discoverables<\/a> is an opportunity for young people to showcase all the strengths and skills they have\u2014a bit like Pinterest<\/a>.<\/p>\n