Autumn Updates ~ Exciting Times

These past few days have been exhilarating and exhausting.

Thursday & Friday: 

Black Country (where Canadian ears have to work quite hard just to understand the banter)

Training Venue: Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy

Trainees: 16 Year 12s and 13s who want to work as reading mentors with younger pupils.

What a positive and energetic bunch of young people. I can’t wait to hear the stories of TRT making a difference in this school. There will be improved reading, but the peer mentoring approach will also mean enriched relationships amongst students and boosted confidence for those 6th form mentors.

Amy from Worth Unlimited will support and mentor the mentors. Double decker youth work! What a privilege to work with this project. 

Saturday & Sunday: 

Walthamstow

Training Venue: Worth Unlimited head office

Trainees: 7 adult volunteers from the community.

Thankfully, just a little less energy – but lots of fun. The highlight for me was hearing from two volunteers who trained at the beginning of the year and are working with young people.  

Danny volunteers at the Walthamstow Youth Offending Team and has a steady stream of referrals coming his way.  The boys love that he’s there just for him.  The YOT loves what’s happening in the lives of the young men. 

Lynsey volunteers with a local young man who just wanted to improve his reading.  His big news, 20 weeks into TRT, is that he has a job!  We’re thrilled for him and so grateful to Lynsey for her commitment. 

TRT without committed volunteers is nothing. 

What’s  next?  Back to the Black Country to train up more 6th formers at a different school.  30 of them! Stay tuned.