Enriching young lives at Bridge Academy
Organised by The Bridge Academy, HackneyRaising funds to meet the cost of a counsellor and providing students with outdoor activities at the Bridge Academy.
Story
Students at Bridge Academy...
...come from some of the most disadvantaged backgrounds in the UK. Over 50% receive free school meals, more than double the national average. Poverty, family breakdown, poor housing and crime are just some of the challenges many face daily, along with the usual difficulties of being a teenager and growing up in a complex world. But we don't let these factors define them or determine their futures. Despite the obstacles Bridge Academy students achieve above the national average at GCSE and A Level and achieve results in the top 10% nationally, outperforming students from much more privileged backgrounds.
To help in their journey we are fundraising for two initiatives for the coming year :
Place2Be counselling
An inhouse counsellor specially trained in the needs of children and young adults helps students with the everyday difficulties they face - friendships, family relationships, exam stress, self worth, bullying, all of which can have an effect on their wellbeing and academic achievement. With the support of counselling they find ways to overcome difficulties and face each day :
"Counselling has helped me be more open about my feelings and build better relationships with my teachers and classmates." - Year 8 girl.
"Thank you so much for all the support you have given my child, I honestly don't know how we would have got through without you" - Parent of Y8 student.
"It feels nice to be able to just talk about thing I might not be able to talk about with friends or family." - Year 8 student.
We are raising funds to meet the cost of providing a specialist counsellor to meet with students in school and provide the advice and safety they need to grow. www.place2be.org.uk
Enrichment activities
Many of our students live lives very limited to their local areas and don't have access to varied physical activities or the great outdoors. We aim to widen their perspectives and enrich their lives.
We plan to take Year 8 to an outdoor activity centre in Essex www.stubbers.co.uk where they can enjoy activities that push their limits, help them grow in confidence and give them a fun time in an environment very different to central London. They will come home tired, but happy.
The Dorset coast is the venue for out Year 9 weekend away https://schoolsandgroups.pgl.co.uk/centres/osmington-bay/, where for some students it is the first time they will see the sea. They stay right on the beach and have access to a wide range of activities - kayaking, archery, abseiling, climbing and team building exercises.
With funds raised by UBS staff and others we can offer these activities free or greatly subsidised and ensure that no child misses out.