City Year London moves into Brixton and Tottenham
6 January 2012
City Year London has expanded its mentoring programme into two new London boroughs as new volunteers join up with two secondary schools, located in Haringey and Lambeth.
City Year volunteers, in their iconic red bomber jackets, will be serving at Gladesmore Community School in Tottenham and the ARK school, Evelyn Grace Academy, in Brixton; acting as role models and supporting tutors to the students.
City Year’s expansion north and south of the river marks the beginning of a period of growth for the charity which is likely to see more school partnerships developed next summer.
The news of City Year’s expansion into Tottenham and Brixton comes on the back of new independent research by the Institute for Volunteering Research which shows that City Year role models are making a positive impact on children’s learning and behaviour in schools.
‘City Year London (CYL)’ specialises in education and community action projects aimed at transforming the lives of children and young people in the most deprived communities in London.
CYL is a unique charity that places diverse teams of 18–25 year olds in schools for a year-long programme of tutoring, mentoring and community action. The goal is to provide positive role models and mentoring support to help children break the all-too-familiar cycle of low aspiration and underachievement.
City Year currently operates in six primary schools and one secondary school in the boroughs of Islington, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Westminster. By forming two new school partnerships the charity will be increasing its presence into six London boroughs.
City Year London Chief Executive, Sophie Livingstone, said:
“We are thrilled to have developed partnerships with Gladesmore Community School and Evelyn Grace Academy. Our new partnerships are definitely an indication of the enormous impact our volunteers have already made in some of the most disadvantaged communities in London.
“We are particularly excited to be joining forces with two new secondary schools, including an ARK Academy. We have had excellent feedback from the primary schools in which we already serve and we are passionate about developing our model to suit secondary schools.
Tony Hartney CBE, head teacher of Gladesmore Community School said:
“It is fantastic to be welcoming a new City Year team into Gladesmore Community School in the New Year. The staff and students are eager to make the most of the skills and enthusiasm of these young volunteers.’
“Their presence in Tottenham couldn’t come at a more important time following the recent riots in our community. I know our students will benefit immensely from the additional support they will bring to the school.
Ivan Baird, head teacher of Evelyn Grace Middle Schools, Evelyn Grace Academy, said:
“We have invited City Year to join our school because we believe their in-class tutoring and positive mentoring can be a hugely beneficial force.
“Our dedicated teachers and staff are already doing an excellent job, but City Year corps members will bring an extra set of eyes and ears to the classroom at break and lunchtimes which will give the students role models to look up to, and younger ‘near peers’ to relate to, with the aim of ultimately helping improve the behaviour and performance of our most challenged pupils in particular.”
In both schools City Year corps members will support the progress of a targeted group of students who are at risk of not fulfilling their potential, by providing articulate and enthusiastic citizen role models, inspiring pupils to be ambitious and determined to succeed, and helping to run extension and enrichment activities inside and outside school hours.
