We put Livery Companies and schools in touch so that they can work together to support young people. This support can take many different forms, from one-off projects to partnerships. You can find out all about our latest projects and opportunities in our Bulletin.

2010-11 has been a year of consolidating our volunteering work - building stronger relationships with more Education Business Partnerships to increase the number and variety of volunteering opportunities available. We've been working to develop our network of coordinators in our member Livery Companies, and to link our volunteers who supported the Lord Mayor's Financial Literacy Initiative with our wider range of activities. We've also worked this year to promote the musical education outreach programme of the Musicians' Company to teachers and schools in the boroughs around the City. A very successful event was held at the Pewterers' Hall in June 2010 to showcase the work of the Yeoman of the Musicians' Company.

Plans are now being made to hold a showcase event later in 2011/12 which will enable Livery Companies to demonstrate their trade or profession to an invited audience of teachers and students. Further details will be available shortly.

Below, you may read some successful examples of practical support to schools and pupils by Livery Companies and their members. Their scale varies significantly, but all are successful matches of a school's need and the capacity of the Livery to help meet it.

In this partnership, a Livery company 'adopts' a local school and nurtures a long-term relationship with them. This can often involve a Liveryman becoming a School Governor, offering financial support for specific projects and providing volunteers to support the pupils. For example, members of the Livery company may visit the school once a month to mentor pupils in reading, maths or business skills. Find out more by reading our real-life examples:

Basketmakers' Link with Notre Dame R.C. Girls Secondary School
Pewterers' - Support for an Islington Primary School
Mercers - School improvement projects

Working with School Governors One Stop Shop (SGOSS)

On Wednesday 12th January LSL welcomed nearly 80 people at The Goldsmiths' Hall for a Governors' Briefing Meeting with SGOSS. Invitations had been extended across the Livery to anyone interested either in becoming a school governor or finding out more about the role. The meeting was designed to inform and inspire and give volunteers a chance to ask questions and make valuable contacts. The meeting began with an informal reception in the splendid surroundings of Goldsmiths' Hall. Three short presentations followed from Jeremy Fern, current Master Farrier, Della Williams, a Primary School Headteacher from South Norwood, and Steve Acklam, Chief Executive of SGOSS. They spoke about the work of a school governor, the value of the role they play and the benefits to the governor, the students and the staff of the school.
SGOSS and Livery Schools Link are now working together to follow up the interest and enthusiasm shown at the event in the hope that more Liverymen and women will put themselves forward for school governorship.

Working with Tower Hamlets Education Business Partnership (THEBP)

Livery Schools Link has provided Tower Hamlets EBP with volunteers for several of its schemes, including Getting Ahead work-related learning conferences for secondary schoolstudents. Here, through practical exercises, volunteers introduce young people to employability skills and the job search/application process. Click here to read their latest Newsletter.

Tower Hamlets EBP has asked people to get in touch if they would like to join their steering group (please refer to the Newsletter for more information on this) or if they have any news or activity ideas for the next issue. They are hoping to create a new one for each term

A growing strand of work where Livery Company members have played a key role is teaching primary school children about financial literacy. A programme of six workshops, covering different aspects of money and enterprise, is delivered to 10 year-olds over the course of the academic year. Volunteers can sign up for one 2-3 hour session or all six units. www.thebeeprogramme.com gives further information.

A Livery company can also choose to support a one-off project or request from a local school or Borough. This may be running a one-day seminar with pupils at the school, arranging an extra-curricular visit for pupils to workplaces, or offering financial support for new equipment or resources. Find out more by reading our real-life examples:

'Money Matters' workshops in partnership with Hackney Education Business Partnership
Basketmakers' - 'Presenting Yourself Days' - Islington EBP

History of City Trades

Livery Schools Link has joined forces with the Lyndons Arts Trust to contribute to a project on the history of the trades in the City of London over the centuries. This will examine the role played by our trading partners and highlight the relevance of this history in London today. The project takes the form of a workshop designed and run by a group of artists from Lyndons Arts Trust which will take place in schools around the City fringe (list of schools has yet to be defined). During each one day workshop the team of artists will aim to produce a piece of artwork, using the children's own art work, for the school to keep which represents the pupils' interpretation of the History of the City Trades. Livery Schools Link's role is to provide a team of about 10 - 15 volunteers to support the artists in the one-day workshops by working with small groups of pupils to help produce the art work. Volunteers do not need to be artists themselves. This is a perfect opportunity for Liverymen and women to get involved in something a little different and immerse themselves in an activity which all pupils will be doing with relish!
Training will be given in advance and all work on the day will be supervised by the artists themselves. Anyone who is interested in finding out more is invited to attend a briefing meeting on Friday 30th September at 11 o'clock at Malorees Junior School, Christchurch Avenue, London NW6 7PB or contact Alison Truphet on alisontruphetlsl@gmail.com to arrange an alternative briefing opportunity.

Members of Livery companies often choose to support a local school on an individual basis. This can take the form of a governorship, seminar or workshop facilitator, delivering talks, providing work experience placements at their own business environment, offering leadership courses of providing one-to-one mentorship of pupils. Find out more by reading our real-life examples:

The Lord Mayor's Volunteering Initiative
Richard Mais (The Worshipful Company of Cutlers) and Islington Green School