City Year West Midlands stories
A major part of our mission is to inspire others to civic action - in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, to "...be the change you wish to see in the world." One of the ways we do that is by sharing our stories. Some are years in the making, others tell of the difference you can make in just one day.
My City Year West Midlands experience
"I am incredibly grateful to be a part of the City Year experience and have enjoyed every opportunity so far. City Year pushes you to become the best possible version of yourself - both for your benefit and that of your pupils. I would thoroughly recommend City Year to anyone who is considering it."
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“The impact on literally hundreds of our pupils has been massive – whether that be in their attendance, behaviour, academic progress or general outlook. The case studies and real life examples of improvement are there for all to see. I would heartily recommend City Year to any other secondary school. You will be presented with a team of keen, young and eager to learn people who want to make a difference.”
“City Year truly has been one of the best experiences in my life and now holds its own spot in my heart forever. It has enhanced me both professionally and personally. I have realised my full potential and applied for jobs I never would have felt good enough for in the past and it’s all down to my year of service. I truly got more than I bargained for. Just one year has changed the rest of my years completely.”
“The City Years amazed me by having what I thought would be some of the more difficult to engage Year 11 boys back to do some extra work after school for an hour, I was listening in a little bit and it was outstanding! The boys were so engaged and working harder than I’ve ever seen them!”
Meet City Year's Head of Programme
For the past 20 years, Dean has worked as a Senior Leader in Education, Consultant and Director in some very challenging urban environments.
Meet Dean
2 of our Team Inspiration Mentors serving at Q3 Academy Langley have written individual testimonials about the positive change they’ve...
Read more about Team Inspirations’ testimonialsAhead of International Women’s Day, City Year UK alumni and GirlDreamer co-founder Amna writes about the formative experience of seeing...
Read more about Amna’s story: women in leadershipIsha is a City Year Mentor serving on Team Ubuntu, in the West Midlands, 2024-2025. “Hi, I’m Isha, and I...
Read more about “Working as a City Year Mentor is not just about making an impact on others — it’s also about growing as an individual.”🌟 Mentor Spotlight – 2023/24 cohort Want to know more about the City Year experience? Read Noah’s story below to gain...
Read more about Mentor spotlight – Noah
