£21 million Aimhigher mentoring scheme launched
£21 Million New initiative to help young people raise aspirations and continue from FE / WBL into HE
Young people across the country are set to benefit from the experiences of university students,
following the launch of a new mentoring scheme, ‘Aimhigher’ by the Department for Innovation, University and Skills last week.
Targeted at school and college pupils from the age of 14, the ‘Aimhigher Associates’ mentoring scheme will help young people make more informed choices, on the opportunities available for them to progress onto higher education. Over 5000 university students are to be selected from institutions to act as mentors.
Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills John Denham, explained; "The Government is committed to both widening participation in Higher Education and promoting access to universities where the competition for entry to courses is most fierce. The Aimhigher Associates scheme will be key to meeting these challenges by raising aspirations and supporting young people with the potential to benefit from higher education.
"This initiative will build on the strong links many universities already have with schools and colleges while offering new opportunities for pupils to take advantage of one-to-one advice from students who have recently been through the process of choosing and applying for a university place themselves.
The new scheme will initially be offered to 21,000 pupils, and is to be targeted at helping young people from non-traditional backgrounds, particularly those from disadvantaged social and economic backgrounds, some minority ethnic groups and people with disabilities.
Mr Denham continued, “We want to unlock the talents of all of our young people. Building long term relationships between our schools and universities is key to making sure that all those approaching school leaving age are able to make informed decisions about their futures and fully understand the opportunities and benefits higher education courses and institutions have to offer."
Jason Seebaruth
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