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As part of our September 2022 Rising Futures cohort, we had the pleasure of working with Gunnersbury Catholic School and Heathlands School based in Hounslow! We were connected to both of these schools via our brilliant partners at The London Borough of Hounslow. We feel incredibly lucky to have worked with these Hounslow students and have seen some amazing growth in them.
Central to our Rising Futures programme is the personalised coaching that each young person receives. Coaching provided the students from Gunnersbury and Heathland Schools with many chances to reflect, create aspirational targets and become familiar with the idea of setting realistic goals.
"Yeah, I really like them (coaching sessions). They teach me loads of things about myself. I like it when someone talks to me one-on-one, for example, if I’m feeling really sad, it helps me remember the positive stuff and not the negative stuff."
Alongside their coaching, both schools took part in a community volunteering event at Bedford Lakes Country Park. Students spent the day weeding, building shelters, and meeting some of the animals at the rescue centre. The day provided an excellent opportunity for them to build their Communication and team working skills.
Our World Of Work trip is an opportunity for students to visit an inspirational workplace to develop their employability skills, network with professionals and build their aspirations. The trip is a great way to help students understand what it is they want for the future.
The World of Work trip had an incredible impact on the way that Gunnersbury and Heathland students viewed the opportunities available to them in the future.
"I thought it was really interesting going to Hounslow House, learning about the people that work there and what they do. I interviewed a lot of people when I went there, asking them about what they do, what their job is and how they got there. It really opened my eyes to the world of work. The most memorable part was meeting a leader of Hounslow, I got to ask him what he does on a daily basis."
By building a connection between young people and their Borough, the Rising Futures programme was able to foster positive relationships between young people and their families and the place they live and go to school that will live long in their memories.
During our Into the Wild trip, all of the schools on our Rising Futures programme including Heathland and Gunnersbury came together on an outdoor activity weekend! By taking students out of their comfort zones and into an environment where they can use the skills they’ve developed over the previous six months, students were able to establish connections and build on all four of the Yes Futures Talents, Resilience, Confidence, Communication and Self-awareness.
In the past, I've not felt very resilient, and I feel like this has been a great way to face my fears.
During their Graduation ceremony, students from the Heathland and Gunnersbury schools celebrated their achievements on Rising Futures. This was an opportunity for the young people to come together with their Programme Manager and representatives from Hounslow Council to reflect on their growth and the new skills and opportunities that Rising Futures gave them.
I came here to try and be more confident and make new friends, which I feel like I have done, it feels good.
Alex, the Programme Manager for both Gunnersbury Catholic School and Heathlands School, had this to say about her cohorts:
"I was very impressed with the Gunnersbury and Heathlands students' maturity and engagement throughout the programme. It was wonderful to see them all come out of their shells as the sessions progressed, especially at the Into the Wild Weekend where they made lots of new friends with students from other schools and many took leadership roles with their groups.
Reflecting with their coaches at the end of the programme, it was lovely to hear the huge progress that each student had made in their own ways in relation to the four Talents.
They are wonderful ambassadors for the Rising Futures Programme and for the London Borough of Hounslow."
On behalf of Yes Futures, we’d like to say a big thank you to our colleagues at the London Borough of Hounslow for making this Rising Futures programme possible! With their support, we have empowered more young people to believe in themselves and discover their personal potential! We’re excited about what the future might hold.