At Millstream Productions, we’ve been delivering PBL or student-centred learning programmes from the outset. Our approach is bespoke and we work with FE colleges, schools, youth organisations and with those not in education, employment or training (NEET). We listen to the needs of the organisation or individuals and design an offering that best fits the requirements.
We believe strongly that with the right balance of responsibility and support, young participants can excel and be the best versions of themselves. Some of the young people we trained and mentored on project based learning schemes now work at Millstream.
Giving young people opportunities to flourish
I was first introduced to Project Based Learning (PBL) around 19 years ago while working in Television. I was working on a documentary project and our crew of 15 was each assigned a young trainee from a pupil referral unit to shadow and learn from us as we worked on the production. I saw first hand the way in which a sense of responsibility and teamwork gave a group of young people, deemed unfit for mainstream education, a boost in confidence and a sense of self worth. I became very interested in the model and adopted this format for many of the projects I’ve worked on ever since.
Speaking at the Future Workplace Forum
Jessica Fisher, Enterprise Co-ordinator at Solent Careers Hub, visited the Millstream studio and was so impressed by the work and our passion for helping young people, she immediately invited us to speak at an event they were hosting: ‘Supporting the Future Workplace Forum’ to showcase the way we do things.
The event took place on 21st April 2026 at the Civic Offices in Portsmouth and bought together employers including Airbus, Portsmouth International Port and BAE Systems, schools from the Portsmouth area and the Careers Hub to demystify careers education, with a particular focus on Employer Standards and Modern Work Experience.
I was asked to put together a short presentation that introduced and explained our approach to PBL and how we work with young people from Year 5 upwards to introduce the world of work and widen horizons as to what a career in the creative industries could bring. Just as importantly though; how this approach builds vital transferable skills such as teamwork, communication, leadership and project management that would be relevant for employers in any sector.
The opportunity to be part of the forum was invaluable and collaborative. It’s hugely encouraging that a way of working we believe in so much and have been delivering for 15+ years, is in vogue with the new way forward for Modern Work Experience in line with Department of Education guidelines. It was gratifying to be seen as an example of best practice in this way.
We’re hugely excited to have forged a relationship with Solent Careers Hub and keen to collaborate further in the future as we work to inspire the next generation and provide meaningful opportunities.
Find out more about our project-based learning and examples of films young people have produced.
