LiteracyPlanet is a fun and safe platform we can use to engage our mentees in their own learning. When they’re having fun, so are we!
The challenge.
In south London’s Brixton, there’s a strong need for the provision of support services for women and girls to develop life skills that will carry them through their lives.
A champion for equitable literacy learning.
For over 30 years, countless women and girls have benefited from the charitable work of The Baytree Centre, an integral part of its south London community. The Baytree Centre proudly provides holistic support through personal development activities and workshops, mentoring, and coaching.
The centre also offers English classes and integration support for newly arrived migrants and refugees.
Under the direction of their Character Development Programme, the women and girls who come to the centre are equipped with the skills they need to be successful members of their community.
How LiteracyPlanet supports The Baytree Centre’s work.
Through the centre’s youth mentoring programme, girls receive online mentoring support. Meeting weekly, participants work towards their agreed goals throughout the academic year. These goals focus on both academic (mainly in the areas of English and Maths) and personal development (including self-confidence, organisation skills, friendship, and communication skills).
As part of this incredible mentoring programme, The Baytree Centre has made LiteracyPlanet available to a handful of girls from Years 5 to 8, for whom it is used during mentoring sessions. As an online platform, LiteracyPlanet is ideal for helping mentors structure their sessions. By sharing a screen, the mentor and mentee can review activities and discuss topics one-on-one.
“LiteracyPlanet is a fun and safe platform we can use to engage our mentees in their own learning. When they’re having fun, so are we!”
Federica Saez, Mentor Coordinator
Does it work?
Absolutely yes! The offering of content across the multiple literacy strands allows for individualised teaching, where specific needs are the focus. The structure of their mentoring sessions aligns perfectly with the LiteracyPlanet approach to Learn, Practise, Test. It means they can practise as much as they need and discuss areas where there are learning gaps.
Both students and educators have found the platform to be extremely user-friendly, with well-structured content that prioritises personalised learning.
As literacy skills are improving for all these students at The Baytree Centre, we are excited to continue watching their progress. It’s stories like these that give us such pride in the content we create.
“We celebrate the girls’ progress and it is so rewarding to see them enjoy the experience of learning. As mentors, we know how valuable the development of literacy skills is in preparing them for their future.”
Federica Saez, Mentor Coordinator
