News / lockleaze
Mother and daughter team behind ‘pioneering’ camp for Black girls
Rachel and Jeanette Burnett aim to inspire young people to be hopeful about the future and dream big through the launch of a new initiative.
The mother & daughter team are the brains behind a pilot scheme that will run this August in Lockleaze for girls, aged eight to 11 from African and Caribbean backgrounds, to “close the confidence gap for future female leaders”.
Designed to build confidence, strengthen connections, inspire creativity and encourage aspirations, the ‘dream camp’ will also address issues of body confidence, mental health, isolation and more through a strengths-based and creative approach.
Jeanette says the programme is much-needed in the wake of the pandemic and cases such as that of Child Q, which starkly highlights some of the additional challenges Black and Brown girls and women face.
“We know that it’s going to light a spark in all the girls taking part,” says Jeanette.
“We want to work with girls aged eight to 11 from African and Caribbean backgrounds to strengthen connections between them and build their confidence. We also want to bring parents together so that they can be inspired by their girls’ stories.”
The duo will run the pilot programme for five days from August 1-5 at Trinity Academy in Lockleaze. It is already oversubscribed and there is a waiting list for hopeful participants.
They also hope to train three women between the ages of 16 and 20 as creative mentors and will be able to provide them with free career coaching.
Rachel and Jeanette Burnett aim to inspire young people to be hopeful about the future and dream big
Having secured support from a corporate funder, as well as interest from local schools and provision of a venue, Rachel and Jeanette have now set up Dream Camp Ltd, a not-for-profit company, and are crowdfunding to raise additional funds.
The pair say they are focusing on providing the camp for girls in light of NHS statistics that revealed one in 10 girls aged 14 to 17 are being referred for specialist mental health support.
They are also drawing on their own experiences. Jeanette Bain-Burnett has 20 years of experience, working with communities to bring social change in the government and charity sectors and organising cultural events.
Currently the director of participation for anti-poverty charity the Trussell Trust, Jeanette was also recently appointed as executive director for policy and integrity at Sport England.
Rachel has eight years’ life experience as a girl of mixed Jamaican and Irish heritage – she loves to be creative and has been recognised as a ‘future leader’ at school.
Find out more and support the cause via: www.gofundme.com/f/e83yd-dream-camp
All photos: Jeanette Bain-Burnett
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