The Tottenham-based charity starts the new academic year with a renewed and deepened relationship with local educational partner, Haringey Sixth Form College. Delivering sessions that work to improve the employability, safety, mental health and activity of young people at the college, Hope in Haringey demonstrates its commitment to enhance the life chances of Haringey’s young people.
By Omar Alleyne-Lawler, Mentoring and Engagements Manager
Hope in Haringey has started the new academic year strongly by working closely with Haringey Sixth Form College in a renewed agreement that will see the college receive projects inspired by all four of HiH’s core programmes.
Omar and Tom meet some of new Activity and Wellbeing sign ups at Haringey Sixth Form College
One such project can be seen in the charity’s delivery of a project supported by the Violence Reduction Unit and Bridge Renewal Trust. Targeting groups of women and girls between the ages of 16 and 24 as well as mixed gendered SEND cohorts, Hope in Haringey is delivering a project that connects young people with Mental Health practitioners, locally based police officers, employability mentors and sports coaches.
In another, employability focused project, the Tottenham-based charity are enhancing the employability chances of the colleges’ young people by connecting them with industry relevant guest speakers.
Often recruited from HiH’s existing pool of more than 120 trained mentors, young people studying at the college are able to hear about the roles they may one-day look to work in themselves.
The talks, which last around an hour, are designed to help students look beyond the classroom and think about the pathways, skills and experiences that can help shape their futures.
For 30 Applied Sciences students, this meant hearing from Chemical Engineer, Blaise Ohiri. By talking students through his education and employment journey, his talk explained how young people can research university entry requirements, develop their networks and apply their interests to a niche research or commercial area.
Meanwhile, Marco Di Paola, joined by Detective Investigator Babatunde Adeyeye from the British Transport Police, met with 36 students studying Public Services, Psychology, Law and Criminology. The session explored life in the military, transferable skills and potential career opportunities within policing.
Nigel Twumasi explaining how non-linear pathways into a young person’s dream career can be an advantage, reassuring students that their studies today do not define their final career pathways.
For the UK’s future technology professionals, Dmytro Kovalchuk spoke to 25 Computer Science students about life as a software engineer while Data Scientist, Tatia Engelmore would use her time to talk to 40 STEM students about the breadth of opportunities available in technology.
His session encouraged students to build meaningful skills and experiences that can help them tell a purposeful story about themselves when pursuing future opportunities.
Nigel Twumasi also shared his journey with 45 Creative Media students where he discussed his transition from software engineering into animation and entrepreneurship. His message encouraged students to believe in themselves, push beyond expectations, and develop both the technical and interpersonal skills needed to succeed.
Students explore different areas of the sector, education pathways and the skills and experience that can help open doors to a career in tech.
Lastly, in support of Early Years students, 60 students at the college were able to learn from local Assistant Headteacher, Alison Walmsley. Together, these sessions connected more than 290 student attendances with professionals able to offer insight, encouragement and practical knowledge about the world beyond education.