The university has recently partnered with Liminal Education, an independent alternative education provision, to provide opportunities for students to mentor a young person with a complex background and additional support needs.
This partnership not only provides vital support for young people to raise their aspirations and develop their wellbeing, but also provides BCU students with career-relevant work experience to enhance their graduate outcomes.
‘We are excited to be working in partnership with Birmingham City University to develop this mentoring programme which we believe will have a positive impact on our pupils. At Liminal Education we believe pastoral support is as important, if not more so, as academic support in ensuring young people can thrive and attain.” Said Andy Hawkins, the CEO of Liminal.
“Through this structured, high quality, mentoring partnership we are confident that we can make a tangible difference on the outcomes for our young people and further enhance the support we provide to our young people.”
Liminal Education are an independent alternative provision based in Willenhall, Walsall. The organisation works to provide a ‘triple a’ approach to holistic education and provides a range of services for the most vulnerable young people in the Black Country, helping to minimize barriers to learning for students with:
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)
- Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)
- Specific Learning Difficulties (SPLD)
Making a real difference
Students from Social Sciences, Education and Health courses will have the chance to sign-up as a Volunteer Youth Mentor on this unique programme to put their learning into practice and gain valuable experience, whilst supporting a young person’s outcomes.
Volunteers are matched 1 on 1 with a young person based on relatability, shared experiences, and academic specialism for a 12-week cycle of mentoring support.
“I am pleased to see our wider offer growing in youth mentoring and providing opportunities for both our students and those in the community. Through programmes like this we can work to make a positive difference in a young person’s life and provide them with the support they need to achieve this.” Dr Nayan Patel, Assistant Director of Enterprise, Birmingham City University
This partnership adds to the wider growing offer of youth mentoring at Birmingham City University.
Continuing to support young people’s futures
Earlier this year, the university partnered with Barnardo’s and community interest company Our Place to launch a brand-new mentoring programme which was designed to help in shaping the future of Birmingham’s children and young people.
The programme demonstrates how the university is committed in delivering as the University for Birmingham and provide much needed support in the local community.
Both programmes allow for students to also gain the practical skills whilst studying, which they can build on and take into their future career. Providing these types of opportunities is vital in not only supporting talent today, but also future talent.
