Putting young people at the centre of our week, we have answered the call to participants wanting to do something more this summer, offering work experience placements to 14-18 year olds.

So if your child will be starting or finishing their GCSE's or A level's this year and have nothing to do with their summer time continue reading.

Below we have more information about our summer work experience placements, during our Game Time programme, online or in our office based in our office in Hackney.

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As we come to a close in our Pembury Mentoring Programme, funded by the Peabody Young People’s Fund, mentor Paris reflects on the mentoring she and The Mentoring Lab team delivered to 18 young people that live on or near the Pembury Peabody Housing Estate, in Hackney, East London.

'I believe every young person on the program made considerable progress building their ability to reflect develop and explore on their own attributes and experiences, developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills'.  

'Adapting the sessions to online had its challenges of keeping my mentees engaged after being on a computer all day at school. However, playing icebreakers and having a structured activity to complete in the session helped focus many of my online mentees and they were able to discover things about themselves that they never knew or had even thought of'.

Committed to young people participation post programme, Founder Ceo Elaine Thomas factors signposting into The Mentoring Lab mentoring programmes, to ensure young people become familiar with trying out new things and develop parents and guardians knowledge of accessible local youth activities. Paris was able to signpost mentees to relevant organisations who can continue to support the Pembury Mentoring programme mentees to achieve their short-term and long-term goals.

We were able to make partnerships and opportunities for signposting with;

Paris continues by saying 'We were able to offer 5 FREE spaces for young people aged 6-16years old to join Impact Sports FC, in weekly football training and opportunities to join their U8-U16 football teams'. 

Three boys that received up to 10 weeks of weekly mentoring from our mentor Paris during the Covid-19 lockdown have been attending the football training sessions and are having an amazing time.

Like the mentoring sessions, through football, the boys are improving their football skills, fitness and improving their social and communication skills. the boys have expressed that the training is a challenge and they have to work hard, which they enjoy.

There are still 2 more spaces left; please contact Paris at [email protected] to register for a space to start training.

Activity: Impact Sports Football Academy training and Club games
Day and time of training sessions:  Tuesdays 4:45pm-5:45pm/ Fridays 6pm-7pm
Location: Haggerston park Astro and field: Yorkton St, London E2 8NH

Photo: Mentor Paris with Mentee

Photo: Pembury Housing Estate, Hackney E5.

Photo: Mentees moving on to Impact Sports Football Club

Over the last 3 decades, teachers across the UK have seen the rise of a unique urban youth culture, that has changed the landscape of the ‘school experience’. As such, schools are doing their best to adapt; ensuring their service is fit for purpose. 

With schools and youth services creating fantastic opportunities for young people, ‘Generation Z’ is the most heard, most served, and most expressive youth of all generations yet. (Of course, benefiting from the opportunities created for and by Generation Y – the largest generation ever recorded).

As we compare our personal schooling experience with current schoolers, we also (often by force) understand that today’s youth culture is fluid, forever changing from one age group to the next. 

This fluidity also reflects a young person’s life and their journey from adolescence to adulthood. A teacher’s pet today can tomorrow, be triggered by what seems like a hair on a camel’s back. By not considering the consequences in a moment of miscommunication or embarrassment, a young person’s future can be changed by the flip of a switch. Especially when we allow our own emotions and decision-making, to dance to their beat and get wrapped around their little finger of defensiveness, insecurities, and self-sabotage. 

As young people go through the frustration (and exploration) of puberty, we educators must remember to stand firm in what I call ‘professionalism with love’. By ushering in our mentoring and coaching techniques during this time of transition, can learn about and understand young people; without being like young people.

We then, prevent shouting matches with Chloe or Chanel in the corridor and no longer turn a blind eye to obvious abuses of power from Mrs. Chamberlain or Mr. Dunne. After all, we grow not from defeatist leaders or limited mindsets, but from clear boundaries, high expectations, and witnessing the characteristics of healthy individuals. 

Standing beside adolescents as they go through their physical, emotional, and social changes requires our ability to model emotional resilience. Teaching young people that ‘survival of the fit, only the strong survive’ (not the Mobb Deep version!). 

So, when a student is tired in period 2 (she went to bed late after babysitting her siblings till 9pm, then doing her homework till 12am…then woke up early to ensure her brothers had breakfast before she dropped them off at school); we must ensure her tiredness and frustrations do not invoke our own. 

And when a year 11 lacks motivation (he procrastinates in revising and choosing a post 16 options… probably because he fears change and the thought of personal success, when his family has seemingly failed), we should not allow his lack of motivation to discourage us from ‘seeing’ his full potential. 

We’d be wise educators to adapt our mindsets and empathise with the fact that ‘the struggle is real' for many young people. By modeling integral standards, we become an unmovable force that cannot be swayed during an emotional storm. A rock that can be relied upon when the most vulnerable need a place of refuge, a shelter from the hardships of life, and a service that is simply, fit for purpose. 

Written by Elaine Thomas, The Mentoring Lab, Founder Ceo

Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.

With the values and opinions of students changing, tackling disruptive behaviour in class, would benefit from going back to basics. Building relationships first. Here are some tips from a mentor. 

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By sharing some unusual and common matters raised in youth mentoring relationships, here are 5 tips to ensure you and your mentee get the most out of individual mentoring sessions.

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Hopefully, you have already been provided with the necessary information on any of your students who have experienced trauma. 

In order to safeguard vulnerable students and support them in their recovery, it’s best to get an understanding of their triggers and any coping strategies that have been put in

place by school-based, community and therapeutic interventions. 

Below is a list of 10 things to remember and 10 strategies that can help you to help your students rebuild their life after experiencing trauma. 

Remember 

1. Avoid triggering points of a student’s pain.
2. Do not try to change the student. 
3. Wearing a hoodie is often a coping mechanism to achieve a sense of calm and safety. 
4. Students are highly sensitive to who you talk to about issues they may be experienced. Remain professional and stay clear from teacher to teacher gossip.
5. Students are on guard against any injustice or mistreatment, treat everyone with respect and dignity, maintain boundaries, rewards and consequences and be supportive to all. 
6. Give parents or guardians compassionate support, regardless of what you’ve read in the student's file. 
7. Remember the student may not understand that their negative behaviour is due to the trauma they’ve experienced. 
8. When a student feels safe and secure, they are more able to engage in learning.
9. The more positive situations and interactions a student experiences at school the more likely they will be able to regulate their responses. 
10. Modelling appropriate and balanced ways to respond to stressful situations will help the student in how they can regulate their responses with positive behaviour and communication.

Classroom strategies 

1. Be present with a focus on acting kind, supportive and caring, even during stressful lessons. 
2. Support the student in developing their identity and sense of self.
3. Be gentle with your words, even when angry or frustrated. 
4. Have no expectations.
5. Remind students that you are there for them if they need to help with homework or need to talk.
6. Allowing students to fiddle with something in class can help reduce stress. Providing them with a doddle pad is also an effective resource.  
7. Give the student duties and responsibilities, to help them build their trust, sense of self, worthiness, ability to communication and build safe binds with others.  
8. Adopt a red, yellow and green lighting system in class, whereby all students, (including those on the trauma continuum) can signal when they are highly stressed or having difficulties, that may require help or time out. 
9. Enable the student to design or arrange items on their desk in your classroom, in a way that makes them feel safe and secure. 
10. Keep no secrets, if you are concerned a child’s safety or well-being is at risk, inform your schools safeguarding lead and follow up, to ensure measures have been put into place. 

Oftentimes the most challenging students are the ones that have 100% punctuality and attendance. Their challenging behaviour may be low level, yet highly distracting. Or we have students who have built a titanium wall around them and will not engage in anything. Then we have students that use humour or defensive language, to protect their inner self in order to feel safe and secure. 

Regardless of the behaviour, teaching a class where one or multiple students are affected by trauma is a juggling act and will inevitably change the way you planned to teach. Your role as an educator instantly becomes one much more important than you may ever know. 

But becoming a trauma-informed teacher is not only about safeguarding the future of your most vulnerable students, it’s also about safeguarding your teaching career, from overwhelming stress and burn out. 

Written by Elaine Thomas, The Mentoring Lab, Founder Ceo

Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.

In an urban setting with a cocktail mix of cultures, religions, and economic backgrounds, we discuss how the fundamentals of mentoring can help you to teach and safeguard another person's child.

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