“I believe schools are the hub of the community and City Year is the heart of the schools” – Kanesha, City Year Mentor, 2021-22
COVID-19 may no longer be front page news but many pupils, particularly those furthest from opportunity, are still suffering the consequences. Every day, our young adult volunteers see how multiple barriers, exacerbated by lockdowns and interrupted learning, obstruct curriculum catch up. In this report, we highlight their holistic impact in schools in London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester. By mentoring, coaching and tutoring pupils across social, emotional and academic skills they support them to succeed; an approach borne out by new research from the US, as well as our own evaluation.
Measurement continues to be a key focus, enabling us to track and refine interventions to overcome learning loss and prove our impact on the skills and leadership development of our volunteers. We were delighted to be awarded the highest level of accreditation by the Skills Builder Partnership in 2021 and to work with UK Year of Service to create 23 new ‘school service leader’ roles for young adults, offering paid work that pays back.
However, alongside the numbers, stories are an equally important part of this report – stories of how young adults, as a distinct category of school practitioner, are meeting extensive pupil needs and changing young lives for the better. Please take five minutes for our ‘longer reads’, where our mentors write about their own extraordinary experiences; how they’ve made a difference to children’s lives and the difference those children have made to them.
“City Year has given me the opportunity to bridge the gap between education inequality by supporting the most vulnerable young individuals; the individuals who ‘just get by’, often being labelled, the individuals who have the opportunity to turn it all around but just need some support. It’s all about changing lives, making a difference and equipping young people with the skills they need for their future. Being a part of City Year has been incredibly fulfilling and I am proud and honoured to go into school every day and see the young people smiling. It’s the little interactions… that have the most impact and it’s a privilege to be able to give a year. I believe schools are the hub of the community and City Year is the heart of the schools.” –An excerpt from Kanesha’s story
Yours in service,
Kevin Munday – Chief Executive
Jonathan Beebe – Chair of the Board of Trustees
