Highlighting the good work coordinated by the Level Trust https://www.leveltrust.org
45.7% of children (1 in 3 children) we work with in Luton live in poverty. Some often have to go to school wearing shoes that don’t fit, with no winter coat, or with the wrong school uniform. Often they don’t have the things they need for homework and in the holidays some don’t have access to fun or exciting activities.
These figures are hard hitting but The Level Trust, a Luton charity started in April 2013, is passionate that poverty shouldn’t stop children learning and reaching their full potential. The charity work hard to help families manage the costs of education so that children have the chance to love learning and all that it offers.
We spoke to the Founding Director, Jane Malcolm, about the Trust’s work and her thoughts on ways to support the transition back to school for children and families that may be struggling financially.
Pre COVID-19 the Trust offered:
• The Uniform Exchange, a place where families brought school uniform they had finished with and swapped them for items they needed.
• free shoes and coats gift cards
• learning resources for children aged 2-5 years of age (from partner schools)
• family support professionals
• free summer school programme for 8-12 year olds (partner schools are given between 15 and 20 places per child per week).
The trust was aware that limited access to resources to can affect children’s life experiences and affect attainment and this could be magnified during COVID-19,
The Trust responded to COVID-19 by:
• offering learn @home survival kits for families without resources to home learning during lockdown
• forming part of the We Are Luton response group, a partnership of youth and family focused organisations, that quickly sign post families to support. A number of organisations form the partnership and Luton EPS are proud to be a part of this. Support has included care packages, baby equipment, food, online mentoring, parent chats, online learning and entertainment resources and online youth groups.
• organising a Luton Schools Run in our back gardens on 24th April where staff members in schools and settings and even members of our EP team, raised £26,000 towards an emergency school fund to provide food, clothing and learning resources to 400 of Luton’s children who are most in need.
Jane reflected that important things to consider for transition were that:
• some children may have had very different experiences of being home, due to lack of resources, which could affect the way children interact and tell their stories in school. The Trust are exploring a scheme to be able to provide devices and Wifi for families who need them the most. The questions we ask children publicly will also be important.
• children are aware of their families circumstance and pressures i.e. parents being furloughed or out of work, thus emotional support and focusing on mental health is crucial.
• some children and their families, who ordinarily find it hard to source uniform and resources for the new academic year, could struggle more now which could affect attendance. Schools/professionals can contact the Trust who are working on a back to school fund and will sign post appropriately.
Finally Jane said that families and schools shouldn’t be ashamed to ask for help ‘we need to help each other, you don’t have to do it alone. We are here to support Luton’
For help and support or for more information please contact the Level Trust
https://www.leveltrust.org/contact-us/