Blacks United in Learning Development

26th May 1995, 1:00am

Share

Blacks United in Learning Development

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/blacks-united-learning-development
Blacks United in Learning Development (BUILD) is a mentoring programme for secondary-age children run by the Nottingham Afro-Caribbean Family and Friends Association and administered by June Hunter, chair of Nottingham Race Equality Council.

Afro-Caribbean children inNottinghamshire have been obtaining fewer GCSE passes than their white and Asian classmates (the gap equates to two grade Cs) but since 1991 black men and women from the community have, through the programme, been taking secondary pupils under their wing out of school hours The aim is to raise the young people’s self-esteem, improve their academic performance, offer career guidance, increase their cultural awareness and improve their social skills.

Mentors and their protegees receive training funded by the county council and attend seminars. Half of a part-time post is paid for by the education department but funding for more staff is desperately needed.

“An LEA report in 1989-90 showed that black children were five times more likely to be excluded than their white peers,” says June Hunter.

“We want to help children achieve better academically and socially and to acquire higher aspirations, to stem the tide of exclusions and unemployment later.”

Want to keep reading for free?

Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters.

Keep reading for just £1 per month

You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £1 per month for three months and get:

  • Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content
  • Exclusive subscriber-only stories
  • Award-winning email newsletters
Recent
Most read
Most shared