Ensuring all children are supported through their education

A recently founded collective is providing free tuition, extracurricular workshops and personal development support to children who may otherwise be unable to access it. ‘

Creative Tuition works with young people from low income backgrounds, marginalised and underrepresented communities to ensure every child has access to a supportive and personalised education.

Founded by Lara Lalemi and Sarah Cooke in summer 2020, the idea was borne in December 2019 when Lara came up with the initial concept with her mentor Anna Starkey.

“We’re friends and housemates so spent lots of time getting excited and talking through the huge potential and all the areas in which we would like to effect change,” says Sarah.

“We are passionate about creating a platform for both students and established pioneers in their field to share their journeys, experiences and advice. By offering mentoring opportunities we intend to facilitate access to a supportive network young people can access.”

The Creative Tuition collective has two branches. The first is a not-for-profit providing free tuition based on the national curriciulum, mental health support and extracurricular workshops to marginalised communities.

The other is the Creative Tuition Pipeline, which works with schools, teachers and local organisations to deliver inspiring career advisory sessions to young people.

Sarah, a biochemistry Masters graduate working as a private tutor, and Lara, a chemistry postgraduate research student and BME in STEM consultant to the British Antarctic survey are working with Dr Nuzhat Tabassum, the collective’s education programme manager, and finance and wellbeing manager Epiphani Sié to get the collective up and running.

Lara Lalemi is one of the two Creative Tuition founders. Photo: Lara Lalemi

“We plan to offer a broad range of services, including tuition with the additional benefits of mental health support and extracurricular workshops,” says Sarah, Creative Tuition’s director of communications and marketing.

“This is really exciting as the workshops will be on all kinds of crucial topics that get missed out by the national curriculum.”

The organisation will cover everything from pre-colonial African history and inclusive sex education to finances and political awareness, in addition to support with the national curriculum.

“There is huge scope here and we hope to keep adding to the services offered to give students access to education that will be culturally affirming, give them confidence and the tools to tackle many of the barriers faced,” Sarah says of the not-for-profit side of the collective.

These services are offered free of charge because Lara and Sarah want to offer tuition to those who may not be able to otherwise access those services, as well as the benefits of extracurricular activities and mental health support.

Epiphani Sié is one of the members of the collective. Photo: Sarah Cooke

Dr Nuzhat Tabassum is the team’s education manager. Photo: Sarah Cooke

The career session program is also free of charge to schools accessing it because Creative Tuition believe in collective cooperative responsibility to “diversify, increase inclusion and encourage social mobility through accessible education programs”.

“The foundations of Creative Tuition are built on the strong ethos of providing equal opportunities to those who would not be avoided them due to their background or area,” Sarah says.

“Many students are not in a position to fork out big chunks of cash to get that extra help they might need with their studies. We are all about closing the attainment gap – access to university or further study – and plugging that leaky pipeline where there are holes in the education system!”

Sarah Cooke founded the organisation with Lara. Photo: Sarah Cooke

“We want to share our knowledge and that of our colleagues and communities with the people that may not have their path laid out before them with ease,” Sarah, who lives in Clifton, says.

“We also recognise representation and role models are key to aspirations and designing your career path from a young age. We are passionate about creating a platform for both students and established pioneers in their field to share their journeys, experiences and advice.”

Support Creative Tuition by donating to www.PayPal.me/creativetuition. Find the organisation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/creativetuitioncollective.

Main photo: Freya Allport 

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