As many of you know, I recently co-founded a new educational initiative called the Hackney Pirates. I was a teacher for two years, and one of my great frustrations was that so many of the pupils I taught could have progressed much faster if we'd just been able to spend some more one-on-one time with them. The Hackney Pirates is proposing a fresh solution to that problem. Loosely based on a similar successful initiative in the USA set up by Dave Eggers, the Hackney Pirates works to harness the energy of local volunteers to develop core literacy skills and creative ability in young people by giving them one-to-one attention in an unconventional learning environment. It will be a place where young people can go to both get help on their homework, reading and writing, and also engage with local creative professionals on making real products which showcase and develop their creativity. Think of the person who you could always ask for help with the school work you were stuck on, or the person who inspired you to try a new creative activity.....we don't think these people don't exist in schools, but we want to create more of them!

 

Over the summer we ran a successful pilot, delivering 453 hours of one-on-one time to 29 local young people, on a shoestring budget. We now need some seed-funding to help us set up a permanent Hackney Pirates centre, while we apply for longer term funding and work out our business plan. We are determined not to rely on fundraising forever - but now need a boost to get us going. I am going part-time at my job to be able to launch the Hackney Pirates properly, so these are exciting times.

 

On 30th October, I and a group of Hackney Pirates will be abseiling off a 4-storey building (yikes) in full pirate costume to raise money for the start-up. It would mean a lot to me if you're able to help. Please sponsor generously! See

www.hackneypirates.org or email me for more information.

All funds will be transferred to the Centre for Innovation in Voluntary Action (CIVA), a UK registered charity (Charity Number 1122095), who are kindly hosting this Just Giving page for the Hackney Pirates. CIVA will then transfer all funds raised to the Hackney Pirates.