EDUCATION
The Girls ’ Network ’ s Rosalind Stuart with students from Redcar and Cleveland College
Redcar and Cleveland College students read their letters from their mentors
Inspiring
Tees Valley mentors are stepping up for The Girls ’ Network
With golden
envelopes in front of them , students at Stockton Riverside College , Redcar and Cleveland College and Bede Sixth Form excitedly wait to read what ’ s inside .
The young women are about to be introduced to their mentors for the very first time as part of a project to help inspire bright futures across the Tees Valley .
The Education Training Collective ( Etc .) is working with The Girls ’ Network to offer its students the chance to learn from inspiring women in professions they may not ordinarily see in their everyday lives .
“ The Tees Valley is not short of these women , so this is about making connections between them and students ,” said Rosalind Stuart , who is heading up the network locally . Putting the call out for willing mentors , she said : “ We have been overwhelmed by these amazing women who have stepped forward to get involved .”
Students at the colleges that make up the Etc . are both happy and a little nervous to be among the first to be matched with mentors so far . It ’ s not just similarities between profession and aspiration that make a good match .
“ It can also be about personality , likes and dislikes or similar backgrounds ,” Rosalind explained .
What stands out for Redcar and Cleveland College student Kelsey Rutherford upon opening her letter is that “ we seem to have a lot of the same interests ”, the main ones being watching Netflix and loving animals . It seems to put the health and social care student immediately at ease as she starts planning her own introductory letter to her mentor .
“ I was a bit nervous at first ,” said the 16-year-old from Redcar . “ But I am just excited now .”
Her response seems to be one that is echoed around the room as the girls read their own letters and begin to recognise what makes them and their mentors a potential match .
Childcare student Teegan McLoughlin , 18 , said : “ I ’ m definitely happy with who I have got .”
Again , watching Netflix seems to have created some common ground , but she also added : “ She is in a running club and I used to run .”
Now looking forward to getting to know her mentor , she said : “ I think it ’ s going to be a really good experience and it makes you feel inspired .”
The opening of those golden envelopes is repeated at Stockton Riverside College and then Bede Sixth Form in Billingham . The students would normally get to meet their mentors in person , but Covid-19 and social distancing guidelines means , for now , the mentoring scheme will take place online .
Stockton Riverside College student Mia Thomson said : “ Mentoring isn ’ t something I had heard of before , but when I got to know more , it sounded
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