STEAM-engagement specialists Wavemaker get a boost through The Staffordshire Digital Innovation Partnerships (SDIPs) programme.
Company Overview
Wavemaker is a Stoke-based business that focuses on digital skills and inclusion for the future. Predominantly working with young people, Wavemaker promotes emerging digital skills they find in technology, such as 3D printing, digital design, and software development.
The business offers training and workshops to promote core digital literacy for client groups who may be at risk of being digitally excluded. For example, older individuals with limited experience of new technology and younger people with gaps in education and training.
Funded Business Support
Wavemaker accessed the 'Staffordshire Digital Innovation Partnerships' (SDIPs) programme.
After reviewing the impact their business has via face-to-face teaching, Alex Rowley, one of Wavemaker’s directors, wanted to reach out to Staffordshire University to help create a platform where anyone can access their resources at any time, any place.
Staffordshire University brought in a project lead, an academic lead, and a graduate—a dedicated person who took charge of the project.
Project Outcome
The graduate was kept on for a further three months to help continue the project. The Staffordshire County Council has opened conversations between Wavemaker and schools to get their product distributed to a wider audience. Wavemaker also received a grant from the council which allowed the team to kickstart the project with new equipment for the office, such as laptops and printers – an instrumental tool for the design process for new teaching materials.
They were able to appoint a back-end developer to the team to bring in expertise and skill to make the technology work and stay up to date.
Staffordshire Digital Innovation Partnerships (SDIPs) is a collaborative project between Staffordshire University and Staffordshire County Council; funded by Staffordshire University, Staffordshire County Council and the European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020.
It was exciting to kick-start our ideas and get them off the ground. The project minimised the element of risk; it allowed us to pilot the platform and to realise that it had the potential to be successful.