We created this innovation to help young people develop the critical human-centred skills (critical thinking, creativity, resilience, problem-solving) needed to thrive in todays fast-changing world. By learning from role models, reflecting on the past, and planning their future, students can build career plans with confidence, while their school stay relevant.
Students engage in a 7-lesson learning journey rooted in design thinking, exploring disappearing jobs, future trends, and entrepreneurial competencies. Guided by their teachers, they identify key skills for the future and reflect on their passions and strengths. They then meet role models (professionals from different fields) in online sessions where they hear real-life stories, ask questions, and learn how these role models adapted to change. These encounters help students connect classroom learning to real-world pathways, boosting confidence and clarity. After the meeting, students refine their career or business ideas and present their plans at an online Future Festival. The project blends future literacy, career exploration, and personal development in a structured yet flexible format. It creates a space where students are inspired to dream boldly and take actionable steps toward their future.
We began with a pilot in 8 schools in 2022, connecting corporate professionals with students aged 10–18 to inspire future career thinking. Along the way, we realized that the most relevant skills for today's world are entrepreneurial—adaptability, creativity, and resilience. This insight led us to focus on entrepreneurs as role models. With support from the U.S. Embassy, in 2023 we expanded to 10 schools and 200 students in the next phase, inviting Romanian-American entrepreneurs to share their journeys. Their real-world experiences helped students imagine future careers and business ideas. Last year, we've reached 25 schools and over 400 students across Romania. In this year edition we expanded to over 50 schools with over 1000 students participating in our project.
We have made a few adjustments over time:
- We initially started with entrepreneurs as role models. Over time, we began inviting individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset from a wider range of professions.
- Another change was expanding the program to include primary school students and adapting the activities to their level.
- We also introduced the possibility for students to meet local individuals who are more accessible to them, rather than only professionals from outside their communities.
Reach out to the AllGrow to access the ready-to-use toolkit and role models guide. Teachers will receive lesson plans, role model coordination support, and digital resources. Interested school will need a group of students, internet access, and openness to explore the future.
