Member Article

Mosaic Applauds Mentoring Achievements in the South East

Over 70 guests gathered in Heathrow Airport yesterday afternoon to celebrate a remarkable year for Mosaic in the South East.

Mosaic, a mentoring charity set up by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2007, is an initiative of Business in the Community. It has been operational throughout the South East for the past eight years and provides fully-funded mentoring programmes into primary and secondary schools that create opportunities for young people growing up in our most deprived communities by helping to raise their aspirations and better fulfil their potential.

Guests at the event, which took place at the Heathrow airport’s recruitment, apprenticeship and training headquarters, the Heathrow Academy, included business leaders and volunteer mentors who have expertly supported Mosaic’s mentoring programmes during this academic year together with the young people they have supported.

Special guest was Steve Ronald, Chairman of Trustees for the Heathrow Community Fund and Head of Product at British Airways, who was the keynote speaker and talked about his ownexperiences of mentoring throughout his life and career and the importance of mentoring and raising the aspirations of young people in the community.

Speaking about the £150,000 in grant support Heathrow Community Fund has provided Mosaic in 2014 to grow its programmes in West London, Slough and Spelthorne, Steve Ronald said: “Heathrow Community Fund has always been keen to help local young people overcome the barriers to achieving their goals in life – and Mosaic has a strong track record in helping young people to develop their potential.”

Mr Ronald also presented the Mosaic South East Mentor of the Year Award to mentor Mike Harvey. Mike has this academic year alone mentored in four separate schools across Woking, Spelthorne and Ealing areas, and mentored on both the Enterprise Challenge and the Secondary School programmes. His mentoring colleagues have spoken out about how amazing it is to work with him, in particularly benefiting from his sense of organisation and confidence.

The afternoon was held to celebrate the significance of mentoring and in particular Mosaic’s mentors, their hard work and commitment to the young people it supports as well as recognising the hard work Mosaic’s network, teachers and supporters continue to dedicate to the range of programmes.

Anu Atewologun, Mosaic’s London and South East Regional Manager commented: “It’s great to be able to get together and celebrate with so many of our corporate supporters and volunteer mentors. Our mentors freely give up their valuable time to help the young people from this region and without their continued support, we simply wouldn’t be celebrating our success here today. We want to thank all the mentors, companies and organisations who have tirelessly supported our programmes throughout the year and helped to inspire so many young local people.”

Mosaic has had a number of outstanding achievements in the South East during the past academic year including:

- working with 41 schools across Hounslow, Hillingdon, Ealing, Woking, Slough, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Luton

- with the support of over 200 mentors, its programmes have impacted on the lives of over 1,000 beneficiaries

- 18 schools in Slough, Hillingdon, Ealing, Hounslow were generously funded by Heathrow Community Fund – Inspiring Youth Fund

- Langley Academy in Slough representing the region at the Enterprise Challenge Grand Final

- Mosaic were recipients of the Jubilee Cup at the 28th Spark! Annual Partnership Awards, to recognise and reward active collaboration between education and the local business community in Hounslow

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Terry Gilligan .