Students join Executive Principal Gill Blanshard for the WOW Community Day event
A Bournemouth academy has brought together a range of health, care and youth agencies to show its students help is out there for all their needs.
The LeAF Academy – which comprises of Oak Academy (11-19), LeAF Studio (14-19) and Elm Academy (4-11) – hosted a WOW Community Day for all its students and their parents.
WOW stands for – what’s on where – and the community day was held to showcase the many support services there are in Bournemouth for young people and families.
Altogether 26 organisations came to the event with information stands, leaflets and to provide advice.
From career advice to bereavement services, young people and their parents were able to make contact with local organisations that can help them.
Executive principal, Gill Blanshard, said: “This is the first time we have held an event like this and we are responding to a growing need among our young people who require advice and support on so many issues.
“We provide pastoral care for all our students but sometimes they could benefit from further guidance from specialists. If one young person who is struggling with an issue has been able to make contact with one of these fantastic organisations and receive help than this event will have been very worthwhile.”
The school hall was given over to the participating organisations for the day so students could drop in at any time. Parents and carers were also invited to come along between 3 and 4.30pm.
Bournemouth Borough Council neighbourhood development officer, Martha Searle, said: “This is the first time the school has invited such a large number and wide-range of agencies to meet its students and parents so this is a golden opportunity for all of us to reach so many young people and their families.
“We see this as far more than an information-giving event but the start of a conversation.
“The feedback we received will further enhance the services we offer and help to make sure we’re meeting the community’s needs.”
