Youngsters gain confidence and social skills on aspiration-raising programme

Youngsters from the local region say they have grown in confidence and social skills after taking part in a De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) programme.

Dozens of students from four local schools have participated in Evolve, a new project run by DMU, the University of Leicester and Loughborough University, in partnership with Pathways, which supports young people in their aim to go to university.

The programme sees team members from Pathways work with staff from the three universities to deliver tailored, age-specific lessons on social and academic skills to help raise pupils’ attainment in achieving the career they want.

The project – delivered through the Universities Partnership, which sees the region’s three institutions working together on projects which benefit the region - has been running since autumn 2024.

It has helped children in four schools: Babington Academy and The Winstanley School, Lancaster Academy in Leicester, and The Castle Rock School, in Coalville.

Over a number of weeks, the children on the Evolve programme are guided through a workbook tailored to their year.

They consider social aspects, like who influences them, what they know about themselves, how others might describe them and how to approach speaking to others. And they look at academic concepts like applying learning, setting goals and study targets.

Libby Hewson, Pathways outreach assistant, who has helped deliver a lot of the teaching in Evolve, said she had found the programme rewarding.

She said: “The difference in the children between weeks one and seven was really quite significant.

“Many of them were very low on confidence, unable to talk in front of others. And in the final week we had a communication session which involved giving a 30-second presentation. They all did it, even though they had never done it before.

“One girl was very nervous, she started to cry. But she kept going and completed the presentation.

“And like the children, I’ve learned a lot about myself teaching them through this programme. It’s been a challenge but it’s been so rewarding.”