Last Updated on 15/12/2022 by Olya Velychenko

Read about the latest initiatives at the Harrow Club

Hello,

Over the past few months a great deal has been happening at the Harrow Club.  Much of this has been through your ongoing and generous support and we wanted to update you on our progress:

Helping young people stay on track with their home learning
During lockdown we worked with many young people who were significantly disadvantaged as a result of home-schooling.  Many did not have a device to work on, or had to share with a number of siblings, making learning and keeping up with school work really hard.  We are delighted that through our laptop appeal and your support, 100 laptops were distributed to young people in January, enabling them to keep on track.

Watch our heart-warming video filmed as the laptops were distributed

Working with children at risk of being excluded from school
Some children, often with undiagnosed conditions such as ADHD or Autism, coupled with difficult home lives, are at risk of being excluded from mainstream education.  We know that this exclusion and subsequent attendance at pupil referral units dramatically reduces life chances and the likelihood of entering the criminal justice increases greatly.

Moving on Up’, is our new alternative education programme, for children struggling at school and with the move into secondary school.  We are currently working with 12 children, aged 9-11, to develop their academic achievements, such as literacy and numeracy skills, as well as supporting their emotional behaviour, so that they can manage their feelings and communicate calmly.

Max, aged 10, is a very bright young boy, who loves to take part in activities.  Max has been diagnosed with anxiety and behavioural difficulties. When Max first joined Moving On Up he was very anxious and nervous and could become extremely upset and angry and struggled to make friends.  After 5 weeks of attending the structured programme, with careful support of his routine and the use of visual aids for each session, Max has now begun to find his place in the team and is building a good rapport with another young person. He is communicating his feelings each day very clearly to the group, and he has much greater control over his anxiety.

Providing safe spaces and support
Since January we have been able to support 80 of our most vulnerable young people, who faced many challenges during lockdown, where home was not always a safe space for them.  Our support included hot meals, care packages, access to technology, group activities and sport.

Supporting at risk young people out on the streets
Unfortunately, there was an increase in violent incidents during this latest lockdown and with many schools and youth clubs closed young people were increasingly at risk of being groomed and exploited into a life of crime and violence.  Through our Another Way programme, the Harrow Club youth teams were, and continue to be, out on the streets twice a week, to support these young people, aged 12-18, offering them mentoring and signposting them to crucial contacts and support services.

Thank you for your generosity

Harrow Club Trustees, Management Team and all Staff and Volunteers