Circle’s Inter School Social Education Project (ISSEP) works with primary-aged children supported by volunteer mentors who are 5th/6th year students.
For children, ISSEP provides a consistent 1:1 mentor one afternoon per week for the entire school year to support homework and a positive approach to learning, as well as providing a range of fun activities.
Mentors get a lot out of ISSEP too. It provides a first-class opportunity for volunteering, which is undertaken by some as part of accredited schemes such as Duke of Edinburgh and it helps to increase confidence and skills in working with young children.
The ISSEP project has been a great success, and last week West Pilton-based Circle held an end of term celebration, as the project’s Claire Martin explains:
Circle’s ISSEP Project enjoyed an end of term celebration on May 31st. Around 90 people joined the party at North Edinburgh Arts Centre. It was a fantastic way to celebrate the achievements of the 30 mentors and 30 children involved in the mentoring project this year (writes Circle’s Claire Martin).
The sun was shining and everyone enjoyed face painting, food, certificate presentations and a slideshow of the year’s highlights! Highlights included Zumba sessions at the mentors’ school and several visits to the Edinburgh International Science Festival.
Thank you to the mentors from George Heriot’s School whose fundraising efforts made these outings possible. We also enjoyed planting vegetables in the newly developed raised beds at Muirhouse Avenue thanks to Centipede Project.
Lots of special friendships have blossomed throughout the year and the feedback from parents, teachers, children and mentors involved has been extremely positive. Thanks to Ben Macpherson MSP and Deidre Brock MP for joining us to celebrate, as well as teachers from local primary schools and George Heriot’s School.
We wish the mentors well as they move on from secondary school. We look forward to the project starting up again after the summer.
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