Pindar mentors to spread Scary’s message

Scary’s message

We thought it was about time to update you on Scary Guy, the world-renowned motivational speaker, with a mission to make the world a better place. Pindar’s relationship with Scary Guy first began last year, when we decided to help fund a unique educational initiative in association with George Pindar Community Sports College. This is aimed at improving performance and behaviour amongst children in Scarborough schools.

This week, the Business and Education Partnership for York and North Yorkshire (NYBEP) visited Pindar and provided an induction session to six employees who have volunteered to become mentors for the initiative. The role of the mentor is to support the year nine children within the secondary schools who are acting as ambassadors and helping to spread the messages of Scary guy in the local Primary schools. The First, session focused on explaining what mentoring is, how to listen to the pupils and develop various questioning skills and also dealt with more serious topics including confidentiality, personal safety and child protection. The training session also allowed the Pindar mentors to voice any concerns or questions they may have had.

The training also involved teaching Pindar staff how to inspire and motivate young people through e-mentoring, a way of building a relationship through email. They will provide between one to two hours a week telephone or email support for the student ambassadors. The mentor is there to listen to the young person's concerns, to share their own experiences and to provide an additional viewpoint. The training is set to be put in to practice in the next couple of weeks.
After completing the training Amanda Thorpe commented, “I found the training really interesting and thought provoking and I’m looking forward to putting what we learnt today into practise”

Background

The initiative is centred on the recruitment of ‘Scary Guy’, an innovative motivational speaker who has pioneered the teaching of emotional intelligence. Through Pindar’s support Scary Guy will be available to work with all secondary schools in Scarborough and the feeder primary schools. Schools that will benefit from the programme are: Pindar School, Raincliffe School, St Augustine’s, Graham School, Filey School and Scalby School. At each school, Scary Guy will undertake sessions with the aim of improving levels of behavioural and communication skills. Andrew Pindar commented: “By pledging three years support we wanted to show how strongly we felt about being involved with this project and the importance of creating lasting relationships between our employees and the schools.”