RSA Engage: Education West Midlands

RSA Engage is a series of events providing a platform for Fellows to connect with each other, whilst exploring how you can support the RSA and participate as a Fellow.

This special RSA Engage with RSA Academies will focus on projects that connect to the RSA Family of Academies and to the RSA’s Creative Learning and Development key theme.

Through short pitches, RSA Engage showcases the achievements of people turning their ideas into action with a “call out” to the audience to share their skills and support. Whether you’re looking to find inspiration or to get involved with local, early stage projects designed to address social challenges, this is an opportunity to engage with the Fellows behind the ideas.

Meet local Fellows, RSA Academies’ teachers and RSA staff
Through facilitated networking, this is an opportunity to make new connections and spark collaboration between the Fellowship and RSA Academies, whilst finding out more about activity in your local area.

Do you have a project that Fellows could support?
At each of our RSA Engage events there are several pitching spots available to Fellows and, for this RSA Engage, we are also reserving several slots for RSA Academies’ teachers and students. This is your opportunity to stand up and pitch your project highlighting the ways our audience could support you.

All our speaking slots are now fully booked for this RSA Engage but if you'd like to share your project idea at another session please contact Rich Pickford.

More information
This will be an interactive, standing event, though limited seating may be available. Nibbles and drinks will be available on arrival. RSA Engage events are free to attend, but due to their popularity we ask that you please register in advance. Follow the ‘Book Now’ link at the top of this page to complete your booking.

We welcome non-Fellows, particularly teachers in the RSA Family of Academies, who support the work of the RSA and are interested in finding out more.

If you have any questions, please contact Rich Pickford

Location: Holyhead School, Milestone Lane, Handsworth, Birmingham B21 0HN

Confirmed Speakers

Arvind Batra and Post-16 Student Leadership Team
Developing a Museum Magazine to promote the Multi-Faith Museum

Arvind Batra is community development co-ordinator and student leadership co-ordinator at RSA Academy, Tipton. She runs the student leadership programme - a bespoke programme for students across the Family of Academies - giving students an opportunity to interact with each other, and to come together under a common framework.
@RSACommunity

Chris Meah
School of Code

Chris Meah is founder and CEO of the School of Code, a collaborative online platform that aims to help teachers and students with learning to code. The School of Code helps diversify technology and give everyone a chance at a digital career, but also helps promote digital inclusion and social mobility. 
@theSchoolOfCode

Mat Carpenter 
Research Rich Schools

Mat Carpenter is vice principal at RSA Academy, Tipton and supports teachers to develop action research projects. Along with two other colleagues in the Family of Academies, Mat led on developing ‘Research Rich Schools’ – a website and toolkit offering ideas and practical support for teachers wanting to develop a research culture in their school.
@CarpenterMat

Linda Gregory 
Young Leaders Trail 

Linda Gregory is chief executive - office team at UFA, a national educational charity based in Birmingham. She is passionate about young people's leadership and works closely with schools on how UFA can support their strategies. The Young Leaders Trail project aims to create a Birmingham leadership trail for young people through visits, mentoring, and network events that will help them develop their leadership understanding. 
@ufalinda

Andrea Elliott
Broadening Horizons and Post16 Career Support

Andrea Elliott is assistant principal at Whitley Academy in Coventry, with particular responsibility for co-ordinating the transition points for students from 14-19, such as Post 16 Induction and Options at Year 9. Andrea also works closely with local RSA Fellows as part of the RSA Academies Broadening Horizons mentoring programme.
@WApost16

Rebecca Richardson
Aston Community Learning 

Rebecca Richarson is assistant principal for Learner Development at Aston University Engineering Academy. Her project Aston Community Learning offers language courses to adults with little or no English. In this way, it aims to improve integration into society and allow parents to communicate better with schools.
@rebeccaricho

Sean McDougall
Touchable Universe

Sean McDougall is MD of Stakeholder Design, a social innovation agency focused on education, health, aging, and inclusion. He is a founder member of the Touchable Universe, a project that uses the emerging technology of haptics to make learning experiences more authentic and help children make sense of concepts such as gravity, sound waves, and dissection.  
@seanmcdougalluk