Samuel Rhodes Programme Wrap-Up
Samuel Rhodes programme wrap-up
By Mazharul Alam & Hayley Turner-McIntyre, Project Managers, ELBA
We celebrate another successful year of the Samuel Rhodes Mentoring Programme! The celebration event on the 15th May marked the end of the 10-week programme, where students with special educational needs (SEN) from Samuel Rhodes School received personalised one-on-one mentoring from Euromonitor volunteers. This ongoing partnership between the BIG Alliance, Euromonitor, and an external SEN consultant provides students with engaging activities designed to boost confidence and develop essential skills for the workplace or further education.
Fourteen students from Samuel Rhodes School participated in ten mentoring sessions alongside their mentors at the Euromonitor office. Each week, students engaged in activities mirroring typical workplace tasks. These included greeting visitors at the reception desk, printing documents, preparing and serving beverages to Euromonitor employees, and learning about workplace safety, such as fire procedures and potential hazards. Additionally, each week students focused on developing their SkillsBuilder competencies through targeted activities. These key competencies include Speaking, Listening, Problem Solving, Creativity, Staying Positive, Aiming High, Leadership, and Teamwork.
On 15th May, Samuel Rhodes mentees and Euromonitor mentors gathered at the Euromonitor office to reflect on the programme’s success, celebrating the personal development and increased confidence demonstrated by the students throughout the program. BIG Alliance and Euromonitor are proud to offer this unique programme as part of their ongoing partnership within Mentoring Works.
School Feedback:
“I have seen how the students, who on the initial day, were shy meeting new people, finding it hard to engage and highly anxious are now confidently engaging with all of the adults they meet, trying out new activities with a smile and leaving each week eager to return. This is in no small part to the amazing team of people who have worked tirelessly and flexibly to make it work for us. They have made the experience meaningful and the whole team has been open, supportive and engaging and this has been transformative for our students.”
“The impact on our pupils was significant. For many, it was their first time seeing a professional office environment, and being welcomed into a team helped inspire them to consider supported internships, which will play a vital role in preparing them for employment after leaving school.”
“The impact on our pupils was significant. For many, it was their first time seeing a professional office environment, and being welcomed into a team helped inspire them to consider supported internships, which will play a vital role in preparing them for employment after leaving school. Your ongoing support is highly appreciated.”
Mentor Feedback:
“It is a delight being with the students over the 10 weeks. The hour we get to spend with them is a happy hour but also we can see what impact it has on them.”
“I felt they became much more comfortable during our conversations and towards the last few weeks would ask more questions or would be more open in asking for help.”
“Confidence grew, able to express how they feel and what they have done. Have a longer attention span on task.”
As we wrap up another fantastic year of the mentoring programme, we’re filled with pride and gratitude. Our students gained invaluable experience — from serving coffee to leading as fire wardens — all while being supported by the incredible team at Euromonitor, who’ve generously hosted and championed this programme for over seven years. A special “Thank you” to everyone involved in the programme this year, for their unwavering support, and of course, to our brilliant students, some of whom now move on to exciting new chapters. We’ll miss you — and for those returning, we can’t wait to do it all again next year, with more learning, laughter, hot chocolate… and a few joyful trips down the office slide.
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