 |
| Volunteer Sarah with Head Keeper Mike and Conservation and Research Officer, Adam |
The Education
Team at Dartmoor Zoo are celebrating again following confirmation that for the
second year running they have won the Global Entrepreneurship Week, High Impact
Award.
Organised by
Youth Business International, Global Entrepreneurship Week celebrates
entrepreneurship as a force for good through a wide range of activities.
The
"High Impact Badge of Honour" is granted only to those activities
which meet a range of criteria demonstrating the contribution the activity
makes to the aims of the project.
Since its
inception, Global Entrepreneurship Week has spread to 115 countries, with
nearly 24,000 organisations planning more than 37,000 activities. In 2011 over
213,000 people attended 2,305 events, run by over 900 organisations as part of
Global Entrepreneurship Week in the UK alone.
The award was
granted to DZP for their Enterprise Challenge. Launched in 2011, the challenge
is a unique activity developed by the education team designed to meet and
exceed a range of educational goals in a challenging and engaging manner. It
sees small teams of students assuming the role of a Zoo Development Team for an
entire day.
"We're
very proud of the Enterprise Challenge," explains operations manager,
George Hyde. "It involves every department at the zoo from animal care
through maintenance to marketing and customer service. It's a real crash-course
in the demands of running a modern zoo."
The students'
task, often in competition with teams from other schools, is to add a new
species to the DZP animal collection. To complete the challenge, students must
face and overcome a range of real-world development problems whilst keeping to
a strict budget.
At the end of
the day-long challenge the teams are required to present their plans to a panel
of professional judges comprised of senior zoo management which sometimes
includes zoo director, Benjamin Mee.
"The
feedback we get from students and staff is amazing," says Benjamin.
"We've even run Enterprise Challenge days as team-building exercises for
teachers and university lecturers. They find it just as challenging and
enjoyable as the kids."
The DZP
Enterprise Challenge is just one of a number of major developments within the
zoo's education department which have captured the imagination and support of
local educators. The new Extended Diploma in Animal Management, delivered in
partnership with Bicton College, is now well into its second year with new
students already expressing an interest in enrolling next year.
The zoo’s
fascinating Dissection Theatre, part of the Dartmoor Hill Pony conservation
project, is also now very well established and attracting interest from
educational establishments throughout the country.
The
Enterprise Challenge is proving particularly popular with secondary school
teachers who recognise that it exceeds the specified National Curriculum
learning objectives for Economic Well-being and Financial Capability. It also
gives higher ability students the opportunity to demonstrate and develop skills
in teamwork, assessing needs, understanding risk, finance management and
enterprise.
"We've
known for quite some time now that the Enterprise Challenge was something
special," explains George. "The whole team here have worked really
hard to produce something of real value and this award shows that we achieved
exactly that."
Educators in
the region can see first-hand what the Enterprise Challenge is all about at an
open evening at the zoo in January. It’s one of a number of events held
throughout the year which provides teachers and youth group workers with an
opportunity to see what the DZP Education Team has to offer and assist them in
developing further activities.
