News and Updates
Routes2Success
Schools benefiting from Routes2Success

In the second year of the Black Training and Enterprise Group’s (BTEG’s) Routes2Success (R2S) programme we held six school events in London and Manchester.
These events were inspiring not only for the students but also for the teaching staff at the schools. They have commented on students’ enthusiasm at R2S sessions and the way that they have engaged with the role models; all of which have prompted the schools to have further sessions.
The first school Routes2Success session was at Heartlands High School in January. Our role models held a workshop on positive self-image and raising aspirations. This was a very useful session for the students who were able to express how they felt about themselves and also how others perceived them. There was time do some group work as well as individual reflection which really helped the boys to express themselves. It was a very engaging session where the young people expressed the need for more work on their positive self-esteem and confidence. As a result a further session on the subject took place in May.
“It was very helpful to know that if we do positive things and be positive people, we will have a positive outlook” Calvin aged 13.
We had three further school sessions in Hatch End High School in Pinner, Loreto High School in Manchester and Whitmore High School in Harrow. We worked on self-esteem, positive self-image and career planning with these students.
The R2S role models motivated the boys to aim high and start planning their futures from a young age. The main message being ‘You’re never too young to start planning your future’ and looking at young black successful men such as Lewis Hamilton who started making networks in Formula 1 from the age of eight.
The teaching staff at Whitmore High School was very complimentary of the work that the role models did with the boys and are keen to have further session, while Leon Ettienne, Behaviour Specialist at Hatch End booked two further sessions before the close of school in July.
The session was very popular amongst the boys who felt they really benefited from it. I would like to have you back in early July. The kids seem to have absolutely loved what you did Colin Gall – Head of Year 9 at Whitmore High School).
For more information abour R2S contact: Brianna@bteg.co.uk or Janine@bteg.co.uk
R2S Forum
The R2S forum will be up and running from the end of this month, the topic will be ‘Young People and Apprenticeships’ and run by our R2S role model Nathan Pearson-Smith. If you know anyone who is interested in apprenticeships but needs some help or advice please advise them to go to http://www.bteg.co.uk/content/routes2success .
If you know of any young men aged 16-25 who would be interested in attending our events, please tell them to get in touch with the R2S team Janine@bteg.co.uk Tel: 020 7832 5832.
Opening Doors Network News
Opening Doors Network helping young unemployed people with their business ideas
Opening Doors Network (ODN) was launched earlier this year, aimed at supporting unemployed young people, aged 18-30 into self-employment
Recently we held two events to promote the programme. The first was held at DCLG’s office, a networking and pitching event, where five participants on the programme were invited to pitch their ideas to a panel of entrepreneurs and start-up loan funders. Prizes were given to the winner and two runners up.
The winner of the top prize of £250 vouchers was Jilly-Ann of Xaymaca with her sorrel based natural health drink.

Jilly-Ann (centre) with the panel members: Robin Landman OBE, Olga Astaniotis, Amie Samba and Analyn Haswell
Our second event saw Minister for Communities Stephen Williams visit the Opening Doors Programme in North London. The visit started with trip to the local Sainsbury’s, where the Minister together with former Spurs skipper Gary Mabbutt met ODN participants’ trialling their products and services.
Minister for Communities Stephen Williams said: “Getting more young people into training and employment is by far the best way of increasing prosperity, tackling poverty and worklessness and creating a fairer society. The Opening Doors initiative is doing tremendous work towards these goals by encouraging and coaching local young people into being tomorrow’s entrepreneurs”.
For further information about the Opening Doors programme, have a look at our website http://www.openingdoorsnet.biz/ and follow us at @Openingdoorsnet.
If you would like to speak with someone about the programme contact Programme Director Indra Pooran at indra@bteg.co.uk or 020 7832 5839.