Inspire Youth Zone Chorley builds confident first steps in digital making through Skills Bootcamps

The town centre charity welcomes between 80 and 120 young people each evening, with dedicated clubs starting around 4:30 pm. Its MakerZone adds 3D printing, laser cutting, electronics and robotics to the usual mix of sport and creative arts.

MakerZone Coordinator Kirsty Lane joined the Skills Bootcamps to build practical confidence she can pass on to members. She described the delivery as clear and actionable, with a blend of workshops, one-to-one support and peer learning that translated quickly back on site.

“Very easily, very bite-sized chunks... nothing was too far that I couldn’t follow,” she said.

Kirsty’s priority is to lower barriers for beginners and keep activities tactile and collaborative.

“Our job is to introduce them and give them the experiences and the pathways to create something for themselves and to spark that interest,” she said.

Early results include:

• Creative CAD sessions using tools like Blender with pen and tablet input, which helps young people who prefer hands-on art
• Clear starter routes in 3D printing and CAD so staff can take beginners from A to B, then signpost deeper learning where needed
• Session design that suits busy evening timetables, with colleagues enrolling on the same training to widen delivery capacity
• A practical wishlist of youth-friendly kit to sustain and scale activities
• Next, exploring simple robotics and electronics that make cause and effect obvious, for example, pen-following robots
• VR as a shared experience by casting the headset view to an interactive whiteboard so whole groups can join in

The DfE-funded Skills Bootcamps are designed to help employers and organisations like Inspire Youth Zone strengthen local skills and future-proof their teams. For the MakerZone, that means bringing emerging technologies to life in ways that young people can see, touch and experiment with.

Workforce development is central to the plan, with additional staff now training so more sessions can run and more young people can be supported.

Next steps will build on 3D printing, expand stylus-first CAD, and test accessible robots. The team is also exploring sustainable making, casting VR to shared screens across more rooms, and links with other centres in the OnSide network. Outreach options are on the table, too, including a visit from the 3D 360 STEM truck.

Inspire Youth Zone says the approach keeps digital making physical, visual and social, fitting evening sessions and supporting inclusive learning for ages seven to eighteen, and up to twenty-five for those with additional needs.

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