SME News - Managing Director of the Year Awards 2024/ 44 Youth Vocational Skills Training MD of the Year 2024: Kev Crisp When Kev Crisp established Crisp Vocational Provision (CVP) in 2013, he did so having served in both the army and the construction industry, before his journey led him to working with disadvantaged individuals disconnected from their environments. Over the past 11 years, CVP has gone from strength to strength, all whilst never losing sight of its fundamental drive, this being the empathy it holds for the young people for whom mainstream placements such as schooling have not worked out, whatever the reason may be. The world can be a lonely and frustrating place for individuals lacking direction and a sense of purpose, and unfortunately, this is the reality for thousands of young people across the UK. To remedy this the best that they can, Kev Crisp and his remarkable team of experts have spent the last decade working tirelessly to create unique, beneficial, and often life-changing vocational and educational training courses for 12–16-yearolds. These courses are all housed in a safe and productive space, CVP’s headquarters in Bulwell, Nottingham. CVP’s diverse and balanced curriculum offers students fantastic opportunities to learn fundamental knowledge and acquire useful, futureproof skills through a number of expertly taught core and vocational subjects. These courses comprise the likes of art, catering, construction, creative media, functional skills, vehicle maintenance, life skills, and sport, with the Duke of Edinburgh scheme also ran through this provision. Across these courses, students not only gain knowledge and a sense of belonging, but also useful qualifications. A typical day for students is not too dissimilar from what can be found in a schooling environment, with four periods and 40 minutes’ worth of Duke of Edinburgh usually carried out between 09:30 and 14:30. The first 15 minutes of the day are set aside for literacy upskill sessions, and 30 minutes for lunch and pit stops after each period ensure that students do not experience burnout and stay motivated and engaged throughout the day. Students also particularly enjoy the daily freshly cooked hot meals and on-site gym facilities. Extra incentives are provided too, and to accurately prepare students for life, hard work is rewarded with wages, these taking the form of vouchers. Daily rewards are paid for good behaviour and strong engagement, and the individual named as the student of the week will then earn a £5 bonus. Furthermore, a number of on- and off-site activities are carried out, with these including snowboarding, mountain biking, and regular day trips. All teaching at CVP is carried out in small group sessions filled with practical and hands-on learning opportunities. The team here are able to tailor their offerings to the learning needs of an individual, with such an approach helping CVP in its other areas of focus, building self-esteem, empathy, and agency in students. In essence, it is the overarching mission of CVP to give young people the chance to viably and confidently chase their dreams, a place where their uniquity and creativity is cherished, and where they may walk their own path. “If, for whatever reason, mainstream hasn’t worked, young people still deserve an opportunity to build their own future – and that’s where we fit in.” Leveraging deep subject knowledge as well as their own experiences in life, the loyal and dedicated CVP staffing team go above and beyond for their students, developing them in a holistic sense and standing firmly by their side throughout the courses and beyond. This incredible commitment has seen Kev and his team welcome in many a student that has blossomed over the course of these sessions and gone on to achieve great things. Whatever it is that they do after CVP, students will have this wonderful team firmly in their corner. An unmistakable sense of community runs throughout this provision, and one of Kev’s primary and ongoing aims across this journey is to build a similar community feel across not only the Bulwell area, but also the rest of Nottingham and even further across the East Midlands. It is for this reason that Kev has adopted a poignant motto for Crisp Vocational Provision: “Building Futures for Tomorrow.” Kev Crip’s unwavering commitment to not only his students and staff, but to his wider community and the future of its youth make him more than deserving of being named as the Youth Vocational Skills Training MD of the Year 2024. Contact: Kev Crisp Company: Crisp Vocational Provision Limited Web Address: https://www.crispvocationalprovision.co.uk/
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