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Students benefit from West Ham United mentoring programme

The Basildon Academies has become the first secondary school in the country to have students participate in a mentoring programme run by West Ham United's principal charity, the Moore Family Foundation.

Since its inception 3 years ago, the Foundation has been engaging thousands of pupils from primary schools across East London and Essex. Part of the development plan is to reach out to secondary school students, with the Lower Academy becoming the first to benefit from this initiative.

The main objectives of the programme are to help give students the best possible opportunity to fulfil their potential, raise their self-confidence and increase resilience.

Foundation Mentor, Timothy Lukwago, who has been working with our Year 9’s during the last few months, commented; “Through regular one to one sessions and different types of workshops, we provide students with mentoring and extra academic support. Because each young person is different, we set personalised goals with the overall aim of raising their aspirations and to hopefully achieve the things they set out to do.”

Year 9 student Lewis Bates has been finding the experience motivating; “Timothy, our mentor, has posed some really challenging questions, for example, he asked us whether some aspects of human behaviour is determined by nature or nurture. Questions like that help us to look at things from another prospective and understand another person’s point of view.”

Colby Nicol has also been enjoying his mentoring sessions commenting; “I am learning a lot from Timothy. He talks about his life experiences and upbringing, which I can really relate to.  We have worked on interesting projects, presented our research and then debated topics.”

Another student who has benefited from the programme is Ruhul Miah; “Taking part in the Moore Family Foundation programme is developing my social skills and building up my confidence ready for the business and workplace environment. It’s helping me achieve my aspirations.

Click here for more information about the Moore Family Foundation.