Child poverty in Plymouth is a significant issue that is being tackled by a number of organisations.
According to Plymouth City Council’s figures, over 9,000 children in the city live in poverty and in the West – in the Devonport, Ham and St Peter and the Waterfront wards – the picture for ‘multiple deprivation’ is up to five times worse than those in the East, in wards like Dunstone.
Communities all over the city face their own challenges, and given a chance people will rise to meet them. Plymouth City Council, charities and an increasing number of businesses are working together to make things better.
Tackling issues in the Stonehouse area, Widening Horizons was launched by the Millfields Trust in 2008, supporting and enabling Year 5 pupils from the seven Stonehouse primary schools to explore new and challenging learning experiences with visits to a number of different workplace venues. As the programme grew, the Trust set up Millfields Inspired to deliver the work long-term.
Children take part in up to seven work experience days in a school year, with a graduation ceremony to celebrate their achievements in mid-July. The aim is to inspire them to believe in themselves and a better future, and to realise that their education can lead them out of the difficulties that many of their families face, into good employment opportunities.
Businesses and organisations who provide hands on learning experiences for Millfields Inspired include: National Marine Aquarium, City College Plymouth, Plymouth University School of Medicine, Peninsula Dental School of Excellence, Brittany Ferries, Princess Yachts, Mayflower Marina, Foot Anstey, Plymouth Citybus, EE, KARST Gallery, Building Plymouth, DHSB, Scott College, Blue Screen IT, Well Connected and Antony Estate.
“The children can experience a wide variety of roles in such a range of organisations,”
said Millfields Inspired development manager, Josanne Stewart.
“They get to go into a real workplace and experience what actually goes on. They have enquiring minds, they ask questions like ‘Can I do that?’ We aim to say to them ‘Yes, you can!’”
This encouragement is often set against a backdrop of difficulties at home for complex reasons.
Widening Horizons provides more opportunities for families in the Stonehouse area to engage with their children’s education.
“When I first served as a local school governor, many years ago, we would see maybe one or two parents at a parents’ evening,”
said Sam Philpott, a Director at the Trust and one of the founders of Widening Horizons.
“Our most recent graduation saw 85 parents applauding the efforts of their children. That means we’re reaching whole families as well as the young people.”
Jill Braid is a teacher at St George’s primary school in Stonehouse. She voiced what many teachers from the seven local schools think about the programme when she wrote to Josanne:
“Thank you so much for organising such a brilliant year, the children have really enjoyed their experiences. A brilliant opportunity for our students.”
Widening Horizons doesn’t just give a good experience to local primary school children. It aims to develop long term change as part of the Millfields Trust’s overall aim to uplift the community’s self-esteem and put realistic hope back on the agenda, even in tough times.
A comment from a grateful Mum recently showed how they are managing to do that:
“My son went to City College to look at construction industry training and had the chance to make a wooden key-holder in their joinery department. Now he wants to be a carpenter and so he is working at school to achieve that.”
Widening Horizons is providing real-world work experiences that inspire, encourage, and enable children to believe enough in themselves to overcome some of the difficulties that they face.
Along with others in our brilliant city they’re changing the landscape for the future and helping Plymouth to realise its full potential.
If you want to find out more, or if you’re a business owner who could provide support, Josanne Stewart would love to hear from you. Contact 01752 660837 or check out www.millfieldsinspired.com
