UNIVERSITY Centre South Essex is on the lookout for volunteer mentors to take part in the new Future Steps mentoring programme. The project is aimed at young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to have the access and knowledge to higher education opportunities.
Statistics show that looked-after-children and children from a BAME background are significantly less likely to go on to higher education. The programme is part of the college’s access and participation plan which aims to deliver a number of projects aimed at addressing this issue.Training for the programme is set to take place at the end of January with a start date of mid-February until May 2021.
Mentors will be making a remarkable difference to a young person’s life and experience on the programme can also count towards a level 2 ILM Mentoring Certificate which will be awarded to mentors upon completion.
Rich Harwood, a staff member volunteering on the project said: “I’m really looking forward to mentoring on the future steps programme, engaging and mentoring younger students who may see things very differently in the current world we live in.“Many young people never get as far as university, but as a mentor we can provide encouragement and support to students and help them make the most of their potential.”
Ross Chaplin, Co-ordinator of the programme and HE consultant, said: “The Future Steps mentoring scheme is a fantastic new project designed for young people between 16-18 years old, to assist them and to consider future options for positive change.
“As a University Centre, we want to support local care experienced students to achieve their goals, especially as they may need more support in the current pandemic.
By matching students to local professionals, the mentoring programme will give participants the tools and motivation they need to make an informed decision and succeed in their chosen career path.”
If you would like to learn more about this opportunity please visit: Future Steps | South Essex College
