Are we included (Stage 3)

Evidenced mentoring programmes for Plymouth and beyond: boosting confidence, aspiration, and belonging with pupils in Primary and Secondary schools

Developed by academics at the University of Plymouth and Plymouth Marjon University, in partnership with Plymouth school pupils, teachers, school leaders and families, our ‘Are We Included?’ mentoring programmes have been delivered to over 200 pupils across 15 separate cohorts since they began in Autumn 2022.
Aimed at boosting access, aspiration, attainment, and achievement, our 8-week programmes pair pupils with trained undergraduate and postgraduate student mentors to build confidence, celebrate success, and bolster a sense of inclusion and belonging within the school community. During weekly in-school sessions, students work in small groups in an open, supportive atmosphere, discussing topics key to inclusion and sharing thoughts, opinions and feelings. The final session consists of a visit to the University of Plymouth campus, offering students an opportunity to celebrate their participation, explore the University, and spark aspirations for the future.

Since 2022, we’ve delivered tailored programmes for pupils in primary schools (KS2) and secondary schools (KS3+4), as well as a bespoke Plymouth City Council funded programme for a cohort of ‘Children Looked After’.
Together with the 'Opportunity Plymouth' and 'Engineering 4 Inclusion' schemes, our ‘Are We Included?’ programmes form part of a suite of mentoring experiences developed by the team that support young people at every stage of their education journey.
Our ‘Are We Included?’ mentors work with pupils in small groups of 2-5, meeting for weekly 1-hour sessions.
Each programme’s content is pre-planned by the academic team and informed by our ongoing research, with activities and discussions to include:
Getting to know each other
Positive role models
Aspirations - The end goal, next steps, university, career…
Building Confidence – celebrating success and what makes me ‘me’
Attainment - ‘Doing your best’ and how you do that
Communication – skills for talking and why they’re important
Presentations – practicing public speaking and boosting confidence
Celebration Event and a tour of the University – celebrating success and sparking aspirations!
Now entering its fourth year, the programme has already evidenced significant impact for students, schools, and mentors. For more information, take a look at our evaluation reports, ‘Pupil Voices’ video, and participant quotes.