Project: Supporting our young people get off to a good start!
Equity gives each young person what he or she needs to take part at school, ensuring their socio-economic status is not an obstacle to achieving their educational potential, and helps to overcome the effects of social deprivation. Through an award from the University of Edinburgh we supported 165 young people in West Lothian with transition packs. The Project aim was to support young people from the most deprived areas of West Lothian get off to good start in their first year at High School.
Transition packs helped reduce the inequalities experienced by the young people, helped them fit in, and ensured they could look forward to going to High School with their head held high. Packs were different depending on the needs of the pupils at the schools we worked with. Feedback demonstrating the impact and benefits of this project so far includes:
“Thank you so much again for your time yesterday. We had just the most amazing experience for the P7 children thanks to you all! They were so excited seeing the clothes arranged and took their time looking and trying things on! They wanted to show the whole school so wandered into classes and proudly showed off their new S1 uniforms. It captured a truly special moment and a big move for them all. They are still coming in and thanking us all today!” Head Teacher
“The P7 kids were very grateful for the packs they were given for starting the academy, a lot of them couldn’t believe that they were gifted this. We have a lot of parents who come to us for help for school uniform as the cost of school uniforms is very expensive. By the families being gifted these starter packs it takes of some pressure of having to get lots of new things, as they already have been giving a little start to help them. A lot of the parents were very pleased and grateful when they were told what their children would be receiving.” Family Link Worker
“Throughout I heard, ‘We feel SO ready now for the Academy’, ‘Is this really for us?’, The perfect ending was when I went back into my room and a little bar of chocolate was sitting on my desk. The girls said that was just to say, Thank you. A true reflection of why you all do what you do.” Head Teacher
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