Sixth Form Students Become Mentors

Students in Year 12 will be working with the charity Chat Club to provide mentoring for young people living at the 'Children's Garden Home Orphanage' in Kenya.

Each week the Sixth Form students will meet online with their peers in Nairobi, who are aged between 15 and 17. With the aim of helping to build their confidence they'll share interests, learn about each others cultures, have debates about things that matter to everyone and make new friends. It's a win-win combination for Charters' students and those in Kenya. 

The Charters' students will work with individuals for an hour each Wednesday for 3-4 months, and their 'chat' will take the form of both written and verbal conversations. 

The charity is the brain-child of Natalie Hernanadez, who founded the Chat Club charity after leaving her role as an airline executive for British Airways. "I have witnessed students develop from shy, unconfident youngsters into inspiring young teens and adults who are proud to use their voice and skills; giving speeches, winning competitions, hosting events and more," Natalie said when she visited the Sixth Form this week.

The charity has recently raised £4,000 to rebuild 11 showers and 17 toilets at the orphanage. The work starts this month and should be completed by the end of July . 

The focus now is to raise £8,000 to renovate and refit the Science Lab at the Children's Garden Home. The Chemistry lab has deteriorated over time and is no longer functional. Without a lab, students cannot complete their National Exams, which significantly impacts their education and progression into science-related careers . Our Sixth Form students will be raising funds to support this initiative.

We'll keep you posted on their progress, but in the meantime you can discover more about Children's Garden Home by watching the film below.