The document summarizes a pilot project in Denmark that partnered two schools with three creative industry professionals. The project aimed to enhance 11-12 year old students' knowledge of careers and curriculum topics through designing a new youth club over two weeks. Teachers were involved in planning to ensure relevance. Students presented their designs and received feedback, gaining experience working with mentors and presenting their ideas. The project brought new perspectives on school-industry collaboration and showed the importance of teacher involvement in planning.

1. CENTRES
CENTRES (Creative Entrepreneurship in Schools) project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which
may be made of the information contained therein.
www.centres-eu.org
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
“The Youth Club” November and December 2013, Vejle, Denmark
1. Context
This pilot was based on the participating schools’ wish to work with entrepreneurship and to
develop new ways of working with creative industries. For the two 5th
classes (11-12 years old)
the project would enhance their knowledge on curriculum issues like knowledge about work life,
understanding people’s choice of profession and also more regular subject related matters in
Danish, Math and Social Science.
2. Approach
This pilot is a concrete example on how younger pupils and three creative partners can work
together. The pilot was designed mainly by the teachers and this gave a huge impact in the class
room because all parts could see the purpose of the pilot right from the beginning. The teachers
contacted the partners, they ensured a close connection with the curriculum and they also
arranged final exhibition.
All in all a good example of that quality usually follows when engaged teachers plan projects.
3. Rationale
As mentioned above the two schools are both experienced entrepreneur schools but have not
worked with creative industries previously and this new area could proof to give the schools new
views on entrepreneurship education.
4. Pilot Description
This pilot came in 5 steps.
1st
step was a kick off arrangement were the two classes met the three creative partners: a
graphical designer, an indoor decorator and an architect. The pupils were introduced to the core
of the three lines of work by the mentors with focus on how an ordinary day looks like if you work
in the creative industry. After that the two teachers revealed the plan for the following two weeks.
The pupils' task was to design a new youth club for the local community and in two week present
it to a group of local teachers, school leaders, municipality people, the mentors and politicians.
Half way through the pupils would meet the mentors again and all groups would receive feedback
on their work.
2nd
step. The classes began their work in the class rooms
3rd
step. Both classes had »business meetings« with the three mentors and they all received
feedback on their work

2. CENTRES (Creative Entrepreneurship in Schools) project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which
may be made of the information contained therein.
www.centres-eu.org
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
4th
step. The pupils adjusted their work and made the final preparations before the big
exhibition
5th
step. All groups were lined up in the big hall in one of the schools, and each group had
10 minutes to present their idea of how the new youth club should look like. After this
session the judges gave written feedback to all groups. This was not a competition and
there was no prize for the winners. The prize for all pupils was the valuable feedback they
got from the judges. Both on the idea itself and on the actual presentation and this
undoubtedly gives both the pupils and the teachers evaluation data they would have gotten
if the pilot was formed as a regular contest.
About 50 pupils from two schools, two teachers, three mentors participated in this pilot.
5. Impact & Legacy
Seen from teachers’ point of view this pilot has brought new perspectives to the
collaboration between schools and private businesses here the creative ones. Is has given
new ideas for future projects and the fact that the focus was on the pedagogical outcome
for the pupils and not on winning a price, gave good quality to the project.
6. Quality
This pilot has been underway for quite some time. We have had many meetings but in the
end the long preparation period proved to be important. When working with small creative
industries there is always a risk that people will prioritise their business to the schools which
of course is quite reasonable, but when it happens it gives setback to the project. We
experienced this twice but due to the flexibility of teachers and other mentors we managed
to cope. But we would like to underline that this is a potential risk in all projects like
CENTRES.
Seen as a whole this pilot went very well and we think that fact that the teachers were
involved in the planning right from the beginning is an important reason. When the teachers
see the rationale of the project it is much more likely to become a success. As for the
mentors they all joined the project because of interest and not because they were told to by
a superior person in their company and it was clear what was expected from them and what
they could gain be participating.
7. Insight
This pilot showed the importance of bringing teachers into the planning as early as
possible. Danish teachers are fairly independent when it comes to planning their class room
activities and in choosing what projects to join and what projects not to join. This makes the
teachers very critic when new projects are offered to them and they only join if they can see
the relevance for their pupils but if they accept they often stay loyal to the project because
they now see is as their own and this exactly what happened in this pilot.

3. CENTRES (Creative Entrepreneurship in Schools) project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which
may be made of the information contained therein.
www.centres-eu.org
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
The project period of two weeks was ok and it helped the pupils to stay focused but it is
also important to mention that some pupils felt that they have too little time to finish their
work.
The setup of having an introduction to a new project outside the usual class room
environment gave the pupils (and the teachers) a feeling of something important and the
presence of the mentors underlined that. Having guests in schools is almost always a
success because the pupil-teacher relation is based on a lot of habits and it is difficult for
both parts to show new sides of themselves.
The pupils were very dedicated in the process and they showed much creativity when
presenting their work for the mentors and they used both traditional materials like cardboard
and paper both also tablets and laptops. They trained their ability to see the potentials in
ideas and put them together to a concept.