RAL Space Engagement Officer Vicky Hall accepting the award from JET CEO and Founder, Dr Emma Egging.
The Jon Egging Trust (JET) is a charity that offers long-term support to young people who face significant life challenges and are struggling to engage at school. In 2022, RAL Space partnered with JET to provide workshops for their 3-year Blue Skies Programme, which aims to build students' confidence, resilience and aspirations. Each cohort of students follows a three-year syllabus to develop teamwork, leadership and employability skills for young people in Year 8, 9 and 10, respectively.
For one workshop, students had to dress in clean room suits before building their spacecraft using Kinex and other materials.
In recognition of our engagement team and staff from across the organisation who have been supporting these workshops, RAL Space was awarded “Corporate Team of the Year" at the Jon Egging Trust's Annual Dinner earlier this month. RAL Space Engagement Officer Vicky Hall, who has led the partnership and the delivery of these workshops from their conception, was also nominated for “Unsung Heroes of the Year" award.
Blue Skies workshops at RAL Space have involved students designing and testing their own space missions, meeting and interviewing staff from a range of roles, and, on one occasion, meeting ESA reserve astronaut Meganne Christian. Recent workshops also involved work which the students will present to the public during the Harwell Open Day in June.
Students met and launched paper rockets with ESA reserve astronaut Meganne Christian earlier this year.
Faye Murray, Oxfordshire Regional Manager for JET, nominated RAL Space for both awards. She said:
“The last couple of years have seen JET catapult into the realm of space, bringing more unique experiences and brilliant learning opportunities to our young people. RAL Space have been integral to that effort and continue to lead the way for our growing list of corporate space partners. This year, RAL have exceeded any expectations to support the delivery of more sessions and accommodate requests from the wider JET Team.
Vicky deserves a special mention as the lynchpin to our amazing partnership. She fosters a creative and encouraging environment where students flourish and strives to ensure sessions work cohesively alongside our JET Outcomes."
Vicky Hall was presented with the physical award at the graduation ceremony for the latest cohort of Blue Skies Students, which took place at RAF Brize Norton on 16 May. She said:
“I'm thrilled that my team of ambassadors at RAL Space has been recognised for giving their time to help change young people's lives. They are wonderful role models, showing students that they can choose and achieve their own future goals and aspire to pursue careers in STEM if they wish.
The students are a joy to work with and design some very impressive space mission concepts! It was great to celebrate the Blue Skies 3 students' graduation, having completed RAL Space's first full three years of workshops. I look forward to continuing our partnership with JET."
