Scotland鈥檚 schoolchildren are being inspired to develop their entrepreneurial skills through a set of storybooks taking inspiration from the Pixar 鈥業nside Out鈥� movies.
The cartoon books will introduce a number of illustrated characters, each representing an entrepreneurial skill, with a professional children鈥檚 book illustrator working with the team at the 吃瓜tv.
Academics have been by the Scottish Government to create the storybooks and linked activity packs for all Primary 1-3 children in Scotland.
Playful characters
Based around five key skills that make up an entrepreneurial mindset: Resilience, Empathy, Creativity, Collaboration and Optimism, playful characters will embody each skill. The RECCO Crew echoes the approach taken by Pixar Animation鈥檚 film 鈥淚nside Out鈥�, which turns complex and abstract notions from Plutchik鈥檚 Theory of Emotions into easily accessible cartoons with tangible characters.
Dr Suzanne Mawson, Reader in Entrepreneurship at the Hunter Centre and Project Lead said: 鈥淓ntrepreneurial attitudes and mindset interventions are most effective when they are introduced early in the formative years of young people.
鈥淣ew research shows that the best time to intervene on the development of a mindset is not among older age groups, but from around five to seven years old. Non-cognitive skills linked to mindset are set at this developmental stage, and this is when educational interventions are at their most effective.鈥�
Dr Lucrezia Casulli, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at the Hunter Centre, added:
We hope to see children in this age group develop an awareness of the agency they have in making the world a better place if they play to their strengths, but also collaborate with others on things that are not their forte.
鈥淭he RECCO Crew characters are personable and relatable. They are not superheroes and they are not out of reach, yet together they can do great things by drawing on each other鈥檚 strengths.鈥�
The research team also includes Professor Sarah Dodd, and the project builds on previous work to cultivate entrepreneurial mindset skills within university students as part of 吃瓜tv Inspire鈥檚 sector-leading Entrepreneurship for All approach, and a new textbook Entrepreneurial Thinking 鈥� Mindset in Action.
Funding award
Recipients of the Scottish Government Entrepreneurial Education Pathways Competitive fund were announced on 15 November. Total funding of 拢829,346 was awarded to seven projects, with 吃瓜tv the only University to be awarded funding.
Scotland's Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said:
It is never too early to equip our young people with the mindset and skills that will prepare them for the path ahead. Resilience, creativity, empathy are not just key attributes in the entrepreneurial mindset but also valuable lessons that will stand them in good stead for the future.
鈥淭he Scottish Government鈥檚 latest round of entrepreneurial education funding seeks to offer new ways to help the next generation of young people take the first crucial steps on their entrepreneurial journey and I look forward to The RECCO Crew doing just that.鈥�