A successful children's project in Burngreave received an extra special boost when Mastermind champion Shaun Wallace paid them a visit.
The ‘IT-community school subject support project’ based on Spital Lane aims to support underachieving Somali children from Burngreave by providing tutored teaching sessions every evening after school.
Funded by Burngreave New Deal for Communities (BNDfC), the project has gone from strength-to-strength over recent years. So Shaun, winner of the 2004 BBC's Mastermind contest, dropped in to meet some youngsters who are involved in the project for a Q&A session in recognition of all their achievements.
Project manager Mohammed Issa, said: “We invited Shaun along to motivate our children about what they can actually achieve in the future – Shaun is a role model to them so it was really interesting to hear what he had to say.”
Over 100 children, who are aged from 6 to 16 years, attend the project to receive extra help mainly in the areas of maths, English and science. The project has grown so much in popularity that there is currently a waiting list.
Focussed towards Somali children, the project is now also developing further by opening up to other ethnic communities in the area to provide additional support for youngsters.
Says Mohammed: "The project has received excellent feedback from parents and the children who attend. We are also working very closely with the local primary and secondary schools so we can determine an individual child's needs and help to meet them together.
“Many of the children have experienced improving school results showing that the support we provide alongside the work of local schools is of huge benefit.”
Jon Cowley, BNDfC education theme manager, said: “It was great for everyone involved with this project to meet Shaun and gain inspiration from him. BNDfC are delighted to support this very worthwhile project that is encouraging learning throughout Burngreave.”