AQA Unlocking

Potential

AQA Unlocking Potential is a transformational mentoring programme for students aged from 11-19 years of age, delivered in partnership between education charity AQA and Dame Kelly Holmes Trust.

Putting athletes shoulder to shoulder with young people, the programme aims to raise student's aspirations and expectations for future life goals, equipping them with a winning mindset that’s ready to achieve. Whether that’s moving from school to Further Education, Further Education to Higher Education, or into training and employment, our athlete mentors will help students move forward with confidence.

Our programmes are delivered by world class athletes, who we know make exceptional role models and mentors, using their amazing experience from the world of sport – discipline, perseverance, resilience and self-belief to name but a few. Young people are to be nominated by their teachers who believe that they would benefit from mentoring support from our world class athletes to develop life skills and increase their confidence, self-belief and motivation.

Young people nominated should currently not be fulfilling their potential and are being held back by one or more of the following:

  • Challenging personal circumstances

  • Low self-esteem and a lack of confidence

  • Lack of local opportunities.

Those who have demonstrated their strength of character, despite being held back by one or more of the above, should demonstrate one or more of the following attributes:

  • Commitment – have shown willingness to give their time and energy to something that they believe in or want to do

  • Enthusiasm – have shown energetic interest in a particular subject or activity and an eagerness to be involved

  • Determination – have shown the ability to continue trying to do something, although it is challenging

  • Integrity – have shown that they can stick to a set of strong moral principles. 

AQA Unlocking Potential provides the following outcomes for students.            

  • Increased confidence, self-esteem and resilience

  • Improved wellbeing

  • Enhanced aspirations and expectations on future life goals, whether from school to college, college to university or into training and employment

  • Develops transferable skills such as presentation and leadership, as well as using own initiative 

  • Improved teachability

  • Improved motivation to take positive action in their community

 

Students benefit from:

  • Personal mentoring support from a Dame Kelly Holmes Trust athlete mentor who will visit the school/college site seven times throughout the course of the programme (each session is 3 hours)

  • Ten programme sessions in total – 7 sessions in school and 3 national events

  • Specifically designed materials and resources to support learning

  • Opportunity to meet participating schools and more Dame Kelly Holmes Trust athlete mentors at launch, mid-point and celebration events (funding to support travel provided)

  • Opportunity to design and deliver a social action project in the local community (funding support available)

  • Last academic year the programme was delivered through a blend of face to face and online sessions. This year we are hoping to deliver all sessions in person, however, there are contingency plans in place to switch mentoring sessions and or deliver events online if required.

  • In total your students will attend ten sessions throughout the programme.  Your seven in-school sessions will be led by the same athlete mentor and your students will have the opportunity to meet their peers and other athlete mentors at the launch, mid point and celebration events. Each pupil will receive an AQA Unlocking Potential workbook to support their learning.