The Rising Stars project at All Saints’ Academy is helping young people grow in confidence and improve physical and mental well-being.
Run by Lives of Colour, the project offers after-school support for students of African and Afro-Caribbean backgrounds. It focuses on mentorship, identity, and creating a safe space where students feel listened to and supported.
Students at All Saints’ Academy take part in weekly sessions where they discuss their goals and reflect on progress. One student, who wanted to improve her public speaking, recently gave a talk on criminology, and gave the talk again the following week with an updated version after responding to student feedback.
Another student set a goal to reduce detentions and has successfully done so. Others have improved their confidence in speaking English, made new friends, and taken steps to improve their physical and mental well-being. One has now joined a cricket team. Students also practice accountability by regularly checking in with one another, scheduling study sessions, and reflecting on exam performance.
Annabel Munga, Education Programme Officer at Lives of Colour, said: “The mission of the project is to help the students feel safe, get a sense of belonging, create a community for them. We want them to live out their potential.”
Funded by the West Midlands Racial Justice Initiative (WMRJ) micro-grant, the project started with a summer school in 2023, focusing on ICT and coding.
“Some participants went on to secure apprenticeships from the project. Based on feedback from students and parents, they wanted it to evolve to focus on mentoring and personal development in other areas,” Annabel said. “Since we started Rising Stars, we see growth and progress every week.”
They recently held an event at Cheltenham Elim Church, where families shared their thoughts on the impact of the project.
Annabel said: “We work with the parents as well because we believe that as much as it’s a student club, the support of parents and guardians is important for development.
“We have volunteers who oversee the sessions. Their relationship with the students is a strong model of faith, showing compassion, gentleness and growth.
“Programmes like Rising Stars help the child, the parents, the school, and the community.”
Lives of Colour is working with the University of Gloucester to involve student volunteers, and with local organisations like the Schoolhouse Cafe, where the project will soon launch a second location. There are plans to expand to other schools, including at primary school level.
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