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Supporting local students throughout lockdown

16 Jun 2020

The IntoUniversity team has been working tirelessly to support local primary, secondary and post-16 learners from one of the most disadvantaged areas of Manchester

IU Partnership awards

Since IntoUniversity Manchester North were forced to close their centre doors, and stop face-to-face contact with primary, secondary and post-16 learners from one of the most disadvantaged areas of Manchester, the IUMN team have been working tirelessly to ensure that all of the students that regularly attended their centre were provided with essential, remote support, to keep them focused and on track with their education. 

Each week, the team has phoned all of the students that they usually work with, to provide both academic and pastoral support to them, and their families. During these phone calls, students are set fun and engaging activities and challenges for the week, to continue their engagement and motivation to learn, whilst not relying on online access to do so. The IU mentoring programme, of which a huge proportion of their mentors are University of Manchester students, has transitioned to an online platform and has provided advice and guidance to students, at a time when their teachers and advisors cannot.

The team has also continued communications with parents and carers, being on hand to answer calls or emails at any time during the day, and often acting as their only support mechanism for home-schooling their children. 

The IntoUniversity team has done some truly inspirational work over the last three months, and the heart-warming feedback and stories from the students and their families, clearly show the difference they are making to the lives of these young people.  

One student said: "It can be easy to lose focus and motivation, and sometimes I do. But I know that I always have my weekly catch up call with IntoUniversity to re-focus on my tasks for the week."

One parent said: "We feel reassured that our son can come to IntoUniversity to get help from staff if we are unable to help him with his school work."

Further to this, we are also pleased to announce that two individuals from our University of Manchester community have been nominated for an IntoUniversity Partnership Award. These annual awards act as an opportunity to ‘recognise the exceptional key supporters of the organisation, and thank them for their efforts and dedication’ to the young people. This year, student Han Zheng has been nominated for ‘Student Volunteer of the Year’, along with Amy McDowell who has been nominated for ‘IntoUniversity Individual Champion of the Year’. 

We would like to like this opportunity to say a huge well done to both Han and Amy for the commitment and dedication they have shown to IntoUniversity Manchester North this year, and to all other staff, students and volunteers who have supported the centre since it’s opening in 2018.