06/03/07

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Teach First Ambassadors Programme launches new 'Challenging Issues' Series

The Teach First Ambassadors programme today launches a new initiative to help turn the spotlight on the reality of life for teenagers in Britain and what we as a society must do to improve the current situation.

In the wake of the south London shootings which saw three teenagers killed in less than a fortnight Teach First will bring delegates from a number of youth charities and other organisations working with young people together in the first of a regular series of round-tables entitled 'Challenging Issues'. More than facilitating a brief debate, the goal is to create a real forum for the socially engaged to share best practice, ideas and expertise.

The first event of the series 'Hoodies, pram-pushers and yobs - Are we failing teens or are teens failing us?' will discuss whether the teenage problem is a question of a generation or a select group of dangerous individuals. It will also examine what role schools, parents, businesses, NGOs, the media, and the government play in supporting adolescent's success.

As well as Teach First Ambassadors, inside and outside of education, the event which is sponsored by Starbucks will be attended by Sir Keith Ajegbo, OBE, one of the main drivers behind the new GCSE and A-Level Citizenship curriculum and representatives from the following organisations:

Envision, Common Purpose, Young Enterprise, the Institute of Public Policy Research, Edunova, the UK Career Academy Foundation, The British Institute of Human Rights, The English Secondary Schools Association.

ENDS

Teach First - Press notes

Teach First's mission is to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields. Teach First targets high calibre students who would not normally consider a career in teaching and places them in challenged secondary schools where more than a third of pupils are eligible for free school meals for the course of the two year placement.
Teach First recruits, trains and supports its recruits as teachers and long-term leaders. Recruits to the programme began their intensive training with a three week programme run by universities in their respective location (London, the North West and the Midlands). The recruits then all join up together for a further three weeks at Canterbury Christ Church University, which is one of the country's most successful teacher education providers. This sets them on the path to achieving the award of Qualified Teacher Status by the end of the first year.
All teachers complete leadership training, including a short course at the Tanaka Business School at Imperial College. School placements last two years, at which point participants can continue teaching or pursue another career.
Teach First is an independent charity Reg. No. 1098294 that is supported by all the main political parties, the National Union of Teachers, graduate organisations and over eighty leading employers. Teach First is ranked 14th in the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers.

For more information please contact Suzi Clark: sclark@teachfirst.org.uk or telephone 020 7517 6413.