#cityyearuk

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Top 6 moments of My City Year Journey: Holly O’Shea

1.       Winning over one of my focus list pupils

At the start of the year one of my students refused to speak to me, she had a lot of attitude and didn’t enjoy school. I tried really hard to get her to connect with me but she was a closed book for the majority of half term one. It wasn’t until she stormed out of English and I followed her to check she was okay that she finally could see that I wasn’t going to give up on her. After that day she completely changed with me, when I walked into a class her face would light up and would even make sure that I came over to sit with her.

2.       Team Day

Just after Christmas each team goes for a day out together on a Friday for a little bonding time. Some teams went out for a meal, bowling or to a trampoline park and naturally our Impact Officer (volunteer line manager) had an action packed day awaiting us. I didn’t think I would take laser tag seriously but we all ended up rolling on the floor, ducking and firing shots left right and centre. Next up was go karting and I don’t think I have ever laughed so much. My favourite part was that one of our team was quite nervous and all of us made such an effort to drive slowly around her. No matter how competitive we are, our team always comes first.

3.       Focus list progress!

Each term we review our focus list process so far, we report on attendance, behaviour points and academic results. Whilst completing mine this term I realised just how far my kids have come and year isn’t even over. I honestly could not be prouder; their success bring so much joy to my day!

4.       Christmas Cards

I decided to get all of my kids Christmas cards with a positive note inside saying how proud I was of them. I was a little bit nervous to give them out as my focus list are 14-15 years old and predominately male, but it really could not have gone better. One of them wouldn’t even open it at school because he was so worried about bending it. Seeing how happy I’d made them is something I won’t ever forget.

5.       When one of my kids left a note in my planner

I got a new work planner and left it on the desk next to one of my pupils as it was empty. The bell went and it was half term (woo!). It wasn’t until I was in the car going home that I opened my planner to see this on the first page:

6.       My team

Last but not least is my team, 2nd family and fellow ‘red jacket people’ (as we were called continuously for nearly 3 months by a year 7 pupil). I can’t even put into words how much the support of my team has meant to me. They are some of the funniest and caring people I have ever met and never fail to put a smile on my face (even in the morning)! We have an appreciation box where we get to put in anonymous notes and celebrate each other each term, the kindness of my City Year squad knows no bounds. Things are not always sunshine and rainbows during the year, you go through some tough times but having your team right by your side can make a whole world of difference.

[cityyearuk]

A Day in the Life of an Impact Officer: Jo Tinker

Joanne Tinker, Impact Officer, Greater Manchester

Hi, I’m Jo and I proudly serve as the Impact Officer for the Lighthouse Team in Stretford High School. Prior to coming to City Year UK I was a History teacher for 6 years, teaching 11-18 year olds.  My degree was also in History from the University of Manchester.  I love working with young people and believe passionately in the power of education to change lives.

My alarm goes off... At 6am.  I live in Saddleworth - which is 45 minutes from school on a good day - so an early start is essential.  I also have 2 Pugs who are desperate for their breakfast and playtime.  I leave my house at 6.50am & usually reach school for 7.35am.

I’m responsible for...On a basic level I am responsible for a team of volunteers in school and act as the link between the school and City Year UK. I manage a team of 6 volunteers in Stretford High, carry out regular coaching sessions, 1:1’s and observations.  I plan and carry out trips for students, organise visits to the school from City Year and their partners, do daily duties, drive the school minibus, deal with safeguarding issues, run assemblies, coordinate after-school clubs, run charity drives, collate and analyse data, create regular impact reports, create presentations for governor’s meetings, deliver briefings to the school staff team, plan and deliver Friday training sessions, liaise with numerous internal and external bodies and take part in several working groups.

I got my job after...Working as a History Teacher for 6 years.  I became increasingly frustrated with the changes being made in education, and decided that rather than sit and moan about things I could act and hopefully become part of the solution.  I haven’t looked back!   The interview process was also quite rigorous and was like nothing I’d ever experienced before.  There were easily 30 people at the first round of interviews and I didn’t expect success because I thought it was so hard to be noticed.

The worst part of my job… Saying goodbye to a team. We go through a lot together over the course of the year - bad and good.  Seeing them graduate is such a proud moment but also really sad because you have become a family.

The best part of my job… Helping to develop young people; seeing the impact the whole process has both on the students, and on the volunteers themselves.

My advice to anyone who wants to be an Impact Officer is …. be prepared for anything and everything, be organised and willing to think on your feet, but most importantly be resilient.  You have a lot of responsibility and there’s much you can’t plan for.  A passion for education and young people is also vital, as is a positive outlook and a willingness to get stuck in.  It’s a challenging role but I enjoy it because I’m doing something I love.

To find out more, and to apply for the Impact Officer role click here

[cityyearuk]

#InternationalWomensDay: Sarah Smith

After graduating from Newcastle University, City Year UK seemed like a fantastic opportunity to begin my career in the charity sector. I love working with young people and I liked the look of the leadership development programme, since I lacked the confidence and skills to lead. I also wanted to volunteer over a relatively long period to have a bigger impact.

The Gym Club

I remember feeling very body conscious as a teenager, and I often felt too intimidated to go to the gym. Girls are not encouraged to do physical activity in the same way that boys are, and P.E. lessons put many off sport. I and my teammate Aamina saw an opportunity to do something about this, and our project tied in with City Year UK’s ethos of inspiring all children to believe in themselves.

The girls were enthusiastic about the idea and the club has been very popular with the Year 10s. One week when they were away, the Year 11s attended and were keen to return the following week. The P.E. department are now looking into setting up another session on Thursday lunchtimes for dance. I’m also hoping more will attend now that I’ve secured monthly donations of fruit and a cash donation from local supermarkets.

Lessons learned

The City Year experience has been challenging but rewarding. I’ve learnt to be persistent and understand the value of building positive relationships. My relationship with the kitchen and P.E. staff has enabled me to get the project up and running. I’ve learnt to be flexible and take feedback on board. I’ve also learnt how to market a project; I used a free online marketing tool provided by the This Girl Can campaign to advertise the club.

Future plans

Next year I intend to work towards a career in Corporate Social Responsibility. I would like to use my experience as a mentor to encourage big corporate companies to fund or even provide mentors to better the lives of children in London schools.

[cityyearuk]

#InternationalWomensDay: Aamina Bashir

I joined City Year UK after making the snap decision to take a gap year before going to university. I wanted to give something back to the community and work with kids who were left out of school initiatives, helping them to reach their full academic potential.

City Year UK’s emphasis on working in disadvantaged communities really resonated with me because I have experienced the educational inequality that can be common in these areas.  I’d like to have a career that allows me to empower young people and tackle the inequality gap faced by many underrepresented kids in the UK.

The gym club

My teammate Sarah and I had noticed that the gym was dominated by boys and that the P.E. staff were all male. We knew how uncomfortable P.E. could be for some girls and we wanted to create a safe space for girls to work out without the pressure and dominance of boys.

The club has been very successful; a lot of the Year 10 girls have shown up and are really enthusiastic. It’s created a really nice environment for girls to come and try new things and enjoy sport without the pressure of other people watching.

We’ve noticed some really positive changes in the girls who take part. They’re more comfortable with sport and more up for trying something new in the club. They’ve asked for more sessions and we’re hoping to set up a dance club.

I’ve learned so much from setting up the club. I’ve learned to turn words into action, adapt to different situations and problem solve.  I’m much more confident and assertive now and not easily intimidated.

What next?

Next year I will be starting at the University of Cambridge, studying education, psychology and learning. I’d also like to continue working towards tackling educational inequality, working with the access and inclusion team there to provide opportunities into higher education for pupils from disadvantaged areas in London.

[cityyearuk]

Tesco Bags for Help: Support schools in your area

City Year UK has reached the final voting stages of the Tesco Bags of Help scheme and we would really appreciate your support to help us win the first prize of a £4,000 grant. This funding would enable us to continue providing reading initiatives at schools in your local area.

How can you help?

It would be brilliant if you could spread the word to your friends and family - asking them to vote for us next time they are at one of these Tesco stores:

LONDON

1-23 City Road London Express Store, EC2A 4DE 

Archway Holloway Road Express Store,  N19 5SS

Caledonian Road London Express Store, N7 8TP 

Clerkenwell Station Express Store, EC1V 3AF  

Drayton Park Express Store, N5 1AN

Essex Road Islington Express Store, N1 2EB

Highbury Metro Store, N7 8JP

Islington Metro Store, N1 8DU

Kings Cross Metro Store, N1 9DX

London Holloway express Store, N19 4HN

London 24 Chiswell Street Express Store (City of London), EC1Y 4TY

Pentonville Road London Express Store, N1 9TT 

Seven Sisters Road Express Store, N4 2HY

Stroud Green Metro Store, N4 3PX

Newington Green Express Store, N16 9BS

Sisters Road London Express Store, N7 7NS

St John Clerkenwell Express Store, EC1V 4UD

GREATER MANCHESTER

Baguley Extra store, M23 9TJ

Northenden Metro Store, M22 4JT

WEST MIDLANDS

Olton Express B92 7HS 

Sheldon Superstore B26 3DY

Shirley Hobs Moat Express B92 8JJ

Yardley Extra B26 1AD

You can vote as many times as they like and voting starts 2nd January 2018 and runs until 28th February 2018.

Your support would mean a lot to us and allow us to continue delivering a really worthwhile literacy scheme, whilst also increasing awareness of City Year UK in the local area.

[cityyearuk]

My City Year Experience: Christina Smith

So you want to know what life was like for me before City Year... well let me tell you. It felt like rock bottom. I had spent a long time without being in a working routine since graduating from university and spent most of my days being a single mother. But I wanted more. I wanted to live out my potential and do the best by my daughter who would be starting school in September. I also wanted to be comfortable financially. However I began to sink into a place of depression where I didn't feel good enough to do anything. I felt that the skills I had developed in university had diminished overtime. I desperately wanted to be working but felt under qualified within myself to do any of the roles that I was interested in. Whereas I still wanted to be in a job that would fulfill me and fuel my passion whilst giving back to others in the process. And that's when I found my answer. City Year UK.

Above: Me (second from right) and my team in the West Midlands

When I came across City Year, seeing how much I would be able to grow through this organisation and how much I would be able to help others grow truly excited me. I knew it was a volunteering role but the growth aspect attracted me way more than the money aspect. I could see this was truly the stepping stone I needed to rise to a brighter future for me and my daughter. So I took a leap of faith and ended up being part of the CY family.

At the red jacket ceremony I dedicated my jacket to my daughter. She was the one I knew would keep me going.

Over the course of the year I was faced with so much adversities I never would have foreseen, both professionally and personally. But still no matter what I woke up with serving at forefront of my mind. It might seem crazy but when you start to be around the children day in day out you realise you are actually important to them. You are actually the source of hope for them. And you realise how much it fuels you being that driving force for them. I have learnt that when you do things with a selfless heart it motivates and pushes you in ways you would never expect. I never realised how strongly committed I was until going through this experience and I was thankful I was able to open my eyes and learn this trait instead of constantly fooling myself that this was a major problem for me.

Another thing I have learnt is to take risks. Be bold. Be daring. You learn the most through those moments. The memories are priceless through those moments. The growth is so real through those moments. You get to know yourself in ways you never could have imagined. The things you feared at the start. The doubts you had. Once you dive ahead and face them you will smash them into pieces.

The memories that were collected throughout this year I can not imagine having anywhere else. 

The socials. Winning musical chairs. Culture day eating so much beautiful food. Lip syncing outkast hey ya and shaking it like a Polaroid picture definitely makes top 3 for me though. And these were just on the Fridays. During the week the way I had to keep a straight face hearing the remarks from the kids. That is a skill within itself.

City Year truly has been one of the best experiences in my life and now holds its own spot in my heart forever. It has enhanced me both professionally and personally. I have realised my full potential and applied for jobs I never would have felt good enough for in the past and it's all down to my year of service. I truly got more than bargained for. Just one year has changed the rest of my years completely.

Give a year, change the world.

To find out more about City Year’s leadership development programme, visit www.cityyear.org.uk

[cityyearuk]

The Year Ahead: Your City Year UK Journey

If you’re interested in applying to the Leadership Development Programme or would like to know more about what is expected as a full-time volunteer with us do have a read!

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How has City Year UK supported my development? | Shayna Mehta

City Year UK aims to support and encourage pupils from disadvantaged communities to succeed in school. However, not only do they help the children, they also guide us volunteer mentors. Through the training academy, we are equipped with skills, confidence and professional networks for our careers. City Year have enhanced and provided me with a range of invaluable skills that I have used throughout my year of service, but beyond that. The opportunities that I have been presented with have given me the tools that I can carry with me in both my personal and professional life.

Skills I have gained through volunteering full-time with City Year UK:

Communication – required to constantly interact with pupils, teachers and the team.

Public speaking – through presenting during training sessions and running clubs.

Leadership – essential when conducting one-to-one sessions, running clubs, attending school trips etc. Leadership is a skill that is being built on each day through our year of service.

Organisational – required whilst preparing for one-to-one sessions and for keeping track of the data of our focus children.

Listening – listening to needs of the students in order to help them achieve their goals.

Teamwork – an essential skill I have gained through working in a team everyday. We lend support and advice when required as well as motivating and lifting the spirits of one another. This skill is constantly being enhanced, as not only do we work together at school; we have also had to work together to present during training sessions.

During the early part of 2016 I was eagerly researching companies I wanted to do my placement year with. I was unsure of what exactly I wanted to do, however I knew, without a doubt, that during my year in industry I wanted to gain as much experience and as many skills as possible.

I have always lacked confidence but through City Year’s four core values; Spirit, Purpose, Discipline and Pride it has given me a boost and helped me to develop so that I do not miss opportunities I would have in the past. City Year have helped me to develop and boost my confidence through igniting the spirit within me, showing me that I have a purpose, and instilling discipline, filling me with the overwhelming feeling of pride in what I do.

I can safely say that City Year UK have allowed me to successfully fulfil the aspirations I had set out to complete in my placement year. It has not only been my year of service, but my year of development.

To find out more about City Year’s ILM-accredited programme, visit www.cityyear.org.uk/join. Or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.