Isle of Dogs pupils learn from returning alumni
Faced with student protests and rising tuition fees, a mentoring and careers advice service is giving Isle of Dogs pupils grounds for new hope.
George Green’s School in Manchester Road has opened its doors to Future First, a social business which brings former students back to the school to give careers advice.
On November 19, two successful old boys returned to give tips to the upper sixth.
Nick Wigmore, Future First’s programme officer, said: “The former students get the chance to help young people and give them opportunities they may not have had themselves.”
The group, which works with 8 schools in London, also in Camden, Haringey and Hounslow, has also launched a Facebook campaign to try and increase membership of its student networks.
Returning to his old haunt, Muhammad Awal, 24, of Malabar Street, now a final year medical student at Kings College London, told the school’s Year 13 pupils about the importance of volunteering.
Muhammad, who volunteered at the Cubitt Town Youth Project in Stewart Street before going on to higher education himself, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed speaking to them.
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“Thinking of the career advice I was given, it wasn’t sufficient.
“I didn’t know anyone who had gone on to do a medicine degree when I was here.
“It’s good to be able to offer personal experiences.”
Larry Adeyemo, 21, of Abbott Road, offered advice on networking and gaining work experience.
He only graduated from Loughborough University this summer and is looking to work in international relations.
He said: “It’s so much smaller than I remember it. It seemed like a big place before.
“It’s been modernised quite a lot and the students seem to be getting to their lessons on time.
“I was pretty punctual but I’d have one or two late lessons.”
To join Future First’s network of former pupils, contact Nick Wigmore on nick@futurefirst.org.uk or call 020 7853 2488.
