All our training concentrates on building bridges back into society.  Each young person helps to design the project they are attending, so we find that we are continuously adapting our training to meet their changing needs.

Okuyamba project

“Please thank Maria for her willingness to persevere with Pascal. We do so need her help – he is in danger of becoming a high profile behaviour problem and she is a great help in bringing some stability to the situation” (local primary school teacher, November 2004)

There are many young people in South London who do not have English as a mother tongue.  New arrivals in the UK often have little or no English, yet we expect them to immediately settle in to their new environment.  It is almost impossible to grasp the devastating social exclusion that a language barrier caused by not speaking English when newly domiciled in this country can create.  These youngsters are plunged into a system they cannot understand on a number of levels.  The barriers must seem impenetrable to these young people and result in a lack of confidence in and out of the classroom, confusion and alienation.  They are often bullied for being “different”, get branded as trouble makers or end up involved in a gang in a naïve attempt to please anyone who appears to be their friend. 

The word “Okuyamba” means “helping” in Uganda.    This project offers 1:1 befriending to young people between the ages of 10 and 18 for as long as the individual needs.   Students are supported using their home language and a shared cultural understanding either in the class room or at breaks. This builds the young person’s confidence and ability to adapt to their new surroundings, quickly addresses the feeling of alienation from the system, helps them to build sustainable friendships with their peers and to communicate confidently with their teachers. It also helps them to learn English faster and reduces the risk of permanent exclusion.

If you think a child or young person that you know could benefit from the Skilltrain experience, please contact us for a confidential discussion on…