‘’I don’t understand why schools aren’t forming an orderly queue to get
involved because it’s just so fabulous’’ – Jane Sheehan, head teacher at
St Anne’s Catholic Primary School.
City Year
has been on the tip of the tongue for many schools in London.
City Year believes that young people can change the world, so
recruiting talented and passionate young people that are driven to make a
difference is their aim, because once passion is harnessed then the young
people start to transform the lives of other young people.
As part of part of a role model campaign called iam, I’ve interviewed a
positive role model from City Year.
The
role model campaign defines what a role model is to young people, because a
role model doesn't always have good intentions, for
example a lot of young people in today’s society look up to celebrities who are
associated with gang culture. For this reason I interviewed Orrel Lawrence. I asked
him a few questions about what a role model for young people means to him.
Tell
me a bit about yourself? I’m into journalism and young people, helping
to make a difference in their life. Passion is a big trait as you can do many
things with it, an excellent way to express yourself.
Do
you study? Or do you do mentor full time? How many hours’ do you give? I
do this fulltime, every day. It runs from Monday to Thursday and on Fridays we
do our personal development plan. I mentor 40 hours per week.
What
do you think makes a Role Model? Understanding. Looking at someone’s life,
stepping in their shoes and channel the outlook. I would say empathy is the
biggest key to being a role model and also making someone realise
their potential.
Do
you think you’ve made a difference in someone’s life, since starting the
mentoring programme? Yes. The results are great; pupils who have
bad grades, with the help of the mentoring scheme achieve great results. One
example I can give you is, one of the students who I’m currently helping, when
I first met him, he didn’t have hope in himself he used to get level 4 for his
studies every time. I sat him down and helped him; I showed him the rules and
guidelines he would need to follow, if he wants to get to level 6, which he
always wanted. Within the next few weeks he achieved fantastic results, results
he never thought he would achieve.
My
last question for Orrel was a wild card question: If you could have dinner with
anyone from history, who would it be, and why?’ Martin
Luther King. He’s an amazing person. I love the vision he had and the fact that
he believed in equality for everyone. He’s inspirational and the quotes he made
up are amazing. I’d think he’d be an amazing guy to have dinner with because I
don’t think there’s anyone else I’d like to meet. Till this day people are
living through his values and that’s why many people want to make a difference
in the world, I think Martin gave people with dreams that push to keep on
going’.
Orrel seemed
like a positive role model, because he finds gratitude in bringing the best out
of others and not only himself. In my opinion a true role model is someone who
has empathy towards people and wants to make a difference in a person’s life,
regardless of the person’s skin colour, background, culture or religion.
Without a doubt Orrel has the ingredients of ‘What makes a role model’.
Overall the
interview went better than expected, the reason for my surprise is because I’ve
never interviewed anyone before, it has always been me on the other side of an
interview, and it was good to be the interviewer rather the interviewee for
once.
There
is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big
difference. That little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether
it is positive or negative.
W.
Clement Stone
Change does
not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous
struggle.
Martin
Luther King
