About | Our Support
At Bishop Simeon Trust we are passionate about what we do.
We believe that people working together can overcome the problems they face in powerful ways.
We don’t pretend that this is easy, but we know that people can demonstrate incredible resourcefulness, innovation, compassion and dignity in the face of great challenges.
After School Support
Both of our current partners provide after school provision that compliments their learning in the classroom. For up to three sessions a week, young people benefit from learning in a safe place, surrounded by peers who share their enthusiasm and passion for learning, whilst benefitting from the support of trusted adulthoods who provide both academic and pastoral support
Tutoring
The young people accessing our services learn in classrooms with more than 50 other young people. With very little support from their teachers who are under pressure to complete the strict curriculum, learners soon fall behind.
By providing more focused support to learners in a 1:5 setting facilitated by tutors, our partners have observed significant improvements in young peoples academic attainment.
Both our partners OLICO and Ikamva Youth utilise dozens of tutors, who are carefully recruited, trained and supported. Many of the tutors are degree students who previously benefited from the programmes and have returned to pay it forward so the next generation can succeed.
Jonah's Story
At age 13, Jonah lost both parents. He was living rough with his younger brother. Battling mental health problems including suicidal thoughts, at age 14 he became involved in drugs. Our partners, Ikamva Youth came alongside him and helped him find his feet. Beginning with his studies, they provided him the support needed to catch up with his learning. At the same time, they helped him find a mentor who was able to give him the information and advice needed to make the best decisions for himself and his family. Jonah is now a qualified teacher having studied at university. He has since returned as a volunteer tutor at Mamelodi Branch and is a source of ongoing inspiration and encouragement to the young people there. His brother, inspired by his example, is now in the top engineering university in the country.
Riann's Hope
In the middle is Riann* (Red Jumper/hat on). We met her whilst visiting Ikamva Youth's winter programme. Riann is 15 and wants to be a GIS Analyst. What gives us confidence that she will achieve her goal is her volunteer tutor Debbie* standing on her right. Debbie is completing her Bachelor of Science Degree with applied mathematics and electronics. Only a few years before, Debbie was standing where Riann was. How was Debbie able to get to where she is now? Ikamva Youth provided after school tutoring three nights a week; careers advice and guidance; access to an ICT lab that allowed her to write university and job applications, and funding to cover the admission costs for the most expensive application. What was clear also is that Ikamva had created a caring community of learners who provided peer-to-peer support. Not only did this have a big impact on their studies, it also safeguarded them from the negative and harmful influences that were ever present outside of the school gates.