Students Become Teachers

Southbank International School students become teachers once a week.

A group of Grade 11 students are helping older Londoners overcome their fear of computers.

The project has run at Southbank International School's Westminster Campus in Portland Place for over five years. It is part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme's Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) element, and is run in conjunction with Open Age - a charity working across Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster helping retired older people.

Rose Hayles from Queensway has attended the free sessions for two years. "Before I started I was terrified of computers, but now I really enjoy using them and have even bought myself a PC," she explained. "I wouldn't like coming here if it was a ‘lesson' but it's not like that at all - it's informal and relaxed and they teach me whatever I want to learn. I would recommend it to anyone. Everything is computerised so you can't do without this knowledge nowadays."

Since Rose started the sessions she has learnt how to use email, work with Word documents and spreadsheets and has even bought a skirt online!

16-year old "teacher" JP Leclef said: "I love computers so much so I really enjoy this part of my course. It's fun seeing someone learn and it's great teaching someone older than me something new."

IB CAS Co-Ordinator Philomena Clancy added: "The inter-generational aspect of this project is particularly important for our students. Many of them don't have elderly relatives in this country so interacting with an older generation is very useful."