Page 11 - Plesner CSR 2019_UK

FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS PLESNER'S SCHOOL PROJECT HAS INSPIRED CHALLENGED YOUNG PUPILS IN THE INNER-CITY DISTRICT OF NØRREBRO TO TAKE EDUCATION SERIOUSLY AND BREAK THE NEGATIVE SOCIAL LEGACY. AS SOMETHING NEW, THE PROJECT ALSO FOCUSES ON STRENGTHENING THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S PUBLIC SPIRIT.
The School Project has followed two lower secondary school classes at Nørrebro Park School (NPS) where a large proportion of the pupils have non-Danish ethnic back- grounds. When the approximately 50 pupils finish 9th grade in June 2019 it marks the end of Plesner's third School Project at NPS. In spite of major academic challenges and
a large turnover of pupils, action plans are ready to ensure that all pupils get the neces- sary support to continue in the education system.
"It is a bit of a success story considering that many pupils are facing both academic and so- cial challenges. In the course of the three years we have seen them move in a positive direc- tion in many respects. For many pupils their ambitions to have an education and a career have grown since they started lower second- ary school," tells Hussain Al Alhaidary, who is part of the new coordinating team together with Nina Bech Damgaard Pedersen. The two assistant attorneys are responsible for running the project and are part of Plesner's team of voluntary role models.
Partnership based on trust
Throughout the years the partnership and the communication with NPS have been op- timal. Hussain Ali Alhaidary ascribes this to the mutual trust and the clear assignment of tasks between the school's management, the teachers and the role models.
"To us, there is a clear line between running a school and the contribution we make as role models. We are not assistant teachers, and we never interfere with school lessons. We focus on motivating and inspiring the pupils in rela- tion to all the possibilities on the other side of school and how they can best prepare to move on."
A good example is a recent exam workshop where teachers gave lessons while Plesner's volunteers dealt with personal preparation, including the importance of being well pre- pared, special techniques to get a grip on preparations and how to handle exam stress and nervousness.
Fresh thinking and focus on society
From originally comprising two schools in the Nørrebro district, the School Project will focus on NPS in the future. Plesner has just entered into a partnership agreement with the school's management about two new 7th grades starting after the summer holidays. This also includes new ideas for developing and improving the School Project.
"The central point will still be the value of education and the importance of continuing education. But we would also like to change the pupils' outlook on the world and how to be part of society. While the school system focuses much on educational standards and grades, we would like to contribute to shaping
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