Determine that the thing can and shall be done and then… find the way.
Abraham Lincoln
The HIVE believes that it is not only necessary, but it is essential to engage children from a young age and guide them up until employment. When we engage children, we engage their families and can give support in times of difficulty. The HIVE’S approach is one of nurture, encouragement and stubborn determination.
The HIVE has provided intergeneration work, family learning, computer workshops, adult literacy and numeracy, a community choir and volunteering opportunities. These vital activities help to break down barriers and contribute towards a cohesive society.
Sinead’s story
Sinead was one of the first volunteers at Croydon Children’s University. By the age of 14, she had decided that she no longer wanted to participate in the activities anymore but took the opportunity of volunteering at some of the events. She learned with support, about working effectively, getting the best out of younger children and organisational skills.
Three years later, The HIVE was delighted that Sinead wanted to return with a team of 20 volunteers, all in their late teens to deliver some activities. Sinead ran activities for a week, marshalling the other volunteers, inspiring the children who came to the events and providing positive teenage role models, very definitely rejecting the “monosyllabic” teenage myth. The volunteers were an exhilarating influence.