Here at Think Again Towers we’re celebrating the fact that when it comes to portfolio careers, we are living the dream.
We believe strongly that people should follow their passions personally and professionally. Which is why we’re currently involved in a really eclectic mix of projects.
Top of the list is our revolutionary training programme for head teachers and senior leaders in schools, Think Again Education, led by the global force in learning and innovation, Richard Gerver. We’ve had interest from around the UK, as well as a number of approaches from Europe and beyond and will be working with visionary educators determined to make a real difference.
With youth unemployment at an all time high, and the global economy showing few signs of a lasting recovery, creating education systems that are genuinely fit for purpose has never been more important. It’s no good continuing to educate and train young people for jobs that no longer exist. Children need new skills and new capabilities, and the best schools and the best teachers recognise this. Young people need to be infinitely flexible in their approach to work. Let’s stop talking negatively about young people who don’t have jobs and elevate them to the status of innovators and entrepreneurs. Given the right skills and the right conditions, working in partnership with business and industry, they can aspire to create their own jobs. Aspiration and ambition. That’s what Think Again Education is all about.
Our founding director, Marc Jaffrey OBE, has been on the road, speaking to different audiences about another of his passions, music education. He’s ready and poised to help, advise and respond when the government finally publishes its National Plan for Music Education. Don’t be surprised if you get an overseas ring tone when you contact him though. Marc’s also busy advising the leading authority on water sanitation and health, IRC, who are based in The Hague. The world of overseas development is increasingly an area where we are hoping to make an impact.
Who was it that said they prefer radio to television because the pictures are better? Think Again’s Jane Bolger has been feeding her own passion for audio recently, training future feature makers for the BBC. She’s also producing an event next year that will bring together cutting edge radio with cutting edge technology. More on that in future posts.
For Ian Parkinson, vintage or retro are probably the words. Not in terms of age or dress sense you understand, but with reference to one of a series of documentaries he’s making for BBC Radio 2. Ian works regularly with colleagues at Folded Wing Productions on Jamie Cullum’s jazz show, and is fresh from a jaunt to Miami for their new series, Gloria Estefan’s Latin Beats. Now he’s bringing the network another gem, producing choreography legend Arlene Phillips OBE, as she tells the story of the TV dance troupes – especially the legendary Pan’s People. All this, and still finding time to indulge his passion for building bicycle wheels. At the rate we are going, and the amount of travelling we are doing (on various forms of transport) we’re wondering whether we really need an office at all?
Our friend Sir Ken Robinson would definitely approve though. He talks about how when people find their passion they are in their element. We are privileged to be able to experience variety, and indulge our passions, in our working lives. Our vision and ambition for Think Again Education is to reach a point where every school leaver feels entitled to expect the same.
