A new learning centre launched in Newcastle is
set to empower thousands of young people to achieve their academic and career
ambitions.
The centre in Walker is a collaboration
between Northumbria and Newcastle Universities and national education charity IntoUniversity to provide additional
educational support to those aged 7-18. It will connect many young people, who
may never have dreamed of going to university, with two leading Higher
Education Institutions, providing opportunities to support their learning and
nurture their ambitions.
IntoUniversity Newcastle East is the
first IntoUniversity education
centre to open in the North East and is based at the Monkchester Community
Centre in Walker, Newcastle.
Working closely with local schools and the
universities, the centre offers long-term support to young people, including
after-school academic support, mentoring with university students and local
professionals, in-school aspiration-raising workshops and enrichment and work
experience opportunities. Once established, the centre will support over 1000
students per year.
66% of school leavers who attended IntoUniversity centres in 2021 went on
to progress to university, compared with 26.6% of students from similar
backgrounds nationally.
Around 30 students aged 7-18 who are set to
benefit from the centre for the next academic year and beyond, along with their
parents and guardians, attended the launch event with some of them delivering
speeches.
Harmony, age 11, spoke at the official launch
event last week about a recent week-long aspiration-raising workshop that she
had taken part in with IntoUniversity
with her class at Byker Primary: “During the FOCUS Week, my class spent time
thinking about what we would like to be when we are older. I wrote that when I
grow up I want to study at Northumbria University to study Theatre and
Performing Arts because I love singing, dancing and acting. At the end of the
FOCUS week, we had a graduation at Newcastle University to celebrate that we
learnt so much in one week.”
Vice-chancellors from both Northumbria and Newcastle Universities also spoke about the collaboration at the launch
event.
Professor Andrew Wathey, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of
Northumbria University said: “Northumbria University has a strong and
long-standing commitment to widening access and engaging with our local
communities. We recognise our role in
broadening routes into higher education for children and young people in our
city.
“We are proud to be working jointly with our
partners IntoUniversity and
Newcastle University to provide this new learning centre, where academic
support, mentoring and careers advice will help young people to realise their
potential and achieve their ambitions.”
Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President of Newcastle University said: “IntoUniversity Newcastle East is set to be a genuinely life-changing experience for up to a thousand young people every year.
“In common with IntoUniversity, Newcastle University has an outstanding record of raising aspiration and providing vital support and learning for children and young people who might not otherwise have access to the opportunities they need to enable them to fulfil their potential.
“Through our involvement in this new Centre, we will be able to enhance our essential outreach activity by delivering aspiration-raising workshops and mentoring to children and young people in their heart of their own community.”
Adil, age 14, spoke about receiving a mentor
at the centre: “It is great having a Mentor because I get one-to-one help from
an adult to support me with academic, social and future development. In our
Mentoring meetings we have worked on my Maths skills, thought about my future
options after high school, and, of course, practised my speech writing and
presentation skills.”
Primary school students took part in a variety
of activities during the event replicating the type of activities they will be engaging
with in the year ahead during after-school academic support sessions. Secondary
school students came up with questions about future study and careers to survey
attending guests.
Maximising
the value of working in partnership with IntoUniversity
is part of the Collaborative Newcastle Universities Agreement, which brings together the world-leading expertise
and collective power at Newcastle and Northumbria Universities to support the health, wealth and
wellbeing of our local communities.
