More than 180 students from nine schools in Qatar have completed the youth development programme, Taqaddam.
HSBC Bank Middle East and the British Council have worked together in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to deliver the new initiative.
Capping the seven-week programme was the Future Ideas competition, which asked the students to devise an innovative idea that addressed key global challenges.
Some students focused on the community theme, submitting various solutions and new ways to live a healthy lifestyle. The winning idea, “Comfy Station”, was submitted by Al Wakra Independent Secondary School for Boys, which focused on providing an eco-friendly cooling system at bus stops that runs on solar power.
The winning students have been awarded a shadowing opportunity for a limited time at HSBC in Qatar, in addition to tablets and certificates, to keep up the creativity and a special memento for the school’s management.
“We hope Taqaddam will enable them (students) to work towards the life goals they aspire to,” said Dr Frank Fitzpatrick, director, British Council Qatar.
Running alongside the school curriculum and delivered outside of school hours, Taqaddam has involved several key learning outcomes, including an understanding of what life skills are, identifying one’s strengths and weaknesses to overcome challenges, and confidence in communicating one’s skills and demonstrating them to others as well as
critical thinking.
The content for Taqaddam, which means “move forward” in Arabic, was delivered by Spark and Mettle, a youth development charity based in London.
Abdul Hakeem Mostafawi, CEO, HSBC in Qatar, said: “HSBC is proud to be partnering with the British Council in this excellent programme. Together, we are better preparing the youth of Qatar for the future and supporting their development in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.”
Students who participated logged on to a tailormade, online resource that helped them identify their personal strengths and abilities as well as areas where they needed further development.
Two workshops covered a range of important life-skill areas, including critical thinking, effective communications, organised planning and how to take the initiative. Students also learnt the value of showing resilience, grit and determination, while finding purpose and managing emotions were also a key part of the learning experience.
“This is just one step in what we hope will be a long history of co-operation between the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the British Council and HSBC,” said Dalia Abdelhameed, English language standards specialist at the ministry.