Looked-After Children Project (Young People in Public Care)
Of the nearly 11,000 young people who leave public care each year only 60 will go onto University. The University of Leeds is trying to change this statistic with a groundbreaking scheme in partnership with the Frank Buttle Trust (the UK's largest charity which provides grant aid to individual children and young people in need). The project is based at the Derek Fatchett City Learning Centre in Hyde Park, working with young people from over 20 secondary schools to support their lives and educational achievement.
Each strand of the project has been designed to help young people engage in education, raising their aspirations and attainment. Sessions are supported by volunteer undergraduate mentors who work with the young people to support various elements of school and social life including coursework, revision and college applications.
This is a highly rewarding, but at times, very challenging project to be part of. The young people you will be working with will have faced many issues throughout their lives and so it is important that once you give a commitment to your mentee, you stick to it. It is a great project to take part in if you like a challenge and/or are interested in this following this area of work as a career, but it is not for the faint hearted!
Key Stage 4 (GCSE) Looked-After Children Mentoring
This one-to-one mentoring scheme is aimed to support local looked after children in Year 7 and upwards, by providing them with academic support and helping to raise their aspirations. Volunteers meet with their mentee at the same time each week and provide them with one hour of homework support, and one hour working on an informal project.