Some of these examples come from the work of Mulberry Schools Trust in recent years. These are the type of opportunities that Mulberry Schools Foundation will extend to partner schools and communities nationally and internationally.
Removing barriers
…to learning, achievement and social engagement by supporting, developing and championing young people and their families in Mulberry Schools Trust’s schools, partner schools and associated local and global communities.
Enriched experience
All areas of Mulberry Schools Foundation’s activity are designed to enhance opportunity, enrich experience and open doors, so removing the barriers faced by those facing cultural, social and economic disadvantage. The Foundation also directly removes barriers as below.
Hardship grants
Mulberry Schools Foundation awards grants to current and former students of Mulberry Schools Trust who are facing disadvantage, to fund their participation in enriching opportunities or to relieve financial hardship to enable them to pursue their education. Examples include:
- contributions to the cost of school trips and visits;
- expenses for work experience, volunteering experience, internships, participation in conferences/seminars/ workshops;
- fees for university summer schools and work-readiness programmes;
- travel scholarships;
- fees for adult-learning programmes.
Welfare support
The Foundation will fund and commission initiatives within the Mulberry Schools community to provide immediate welfare support. Mulberry School for Girls’ Food and Essentials Bank, which supported 500 families each week during the COVID lockdown, is a good example of the need for such provision.
Thank you to Mulberry for providing this service at a time of such hardship. It has helped my family a lot and has been a lifeline for us.
Parent of a Year 9 Student
Like many parents, I have lost my job and the food service has relieved a financial burden from me.
Parent of a Year 11 Student
Adult learning
Mulberry Schools Foundation will extend the scope of, and participation in, the adult learning opportunities provided through Mulberry Schools Trust and will commission and fund similar programmes in other communities. Current provision through the Trust includes literacy, numeracy, ESOL, IT skills, work-skills, interpreting and childcare. The Foundation will also commission and fund community arts events, involving parents, past students and local community members working in partnership with professional artists, such as those developed and performed under the auspices of the Rightful Place Theatre Company, established by Mulberry Schools Trust in 2014 to provide a creative space for minority ethnic women in Tower Hamlets.
