Many people who have been honoured have been born and brought up in Burngreave. Others have been welcomed into this community. It isn’t Nasira’s fault that she was born in Halifax, but after coming to Sheffield to attend university, she decided to stay. And for the last three years she has committed herself to Burngreave young people – in particular with the Pakistani study support project – Reach High 2. Now over 150 young people (from age 9 up to 16) attend the study support programme at Firshill (primary) School every Saturday and Sunday.
And who has the job of arranging tutors to attend and run the classes in English, Maths, Sciences at Key Stage 3 and 4 – and a programme for primary school students? And maintaining the interest of the students when other attractions offer themselves? And contacting the parents and schools to discuss individual students? And working out how to use existing accommodation to its limit? And looking at alternatives? And campaigning for better provision for all young people outside of school and away from the home? And critically, making sure all the policies and procedures are in place when over hundred children are on site for five hours? This is a major operation and Nasira Amin is at the centre of it – creating and building a team of colleagues and volunteers.
There are a number of glowing tributes that have been paid to Nasira’s work – about her work with individual students for whom study support helped maintain or in some cases create opportunities when things appeared to be going nowhere. Students who were down for unclassified grades and ended up getting two Cs; a younger student who had been suspended for three days at primary school and only a few months later, ended getting a Level 5 at English at the SATs. But most of all, Nasira looks at the close links that have been built with parents and the young people to show how study support is one of the ways to combat gang affiliation and destructive behaviour – particularly for those young people who are ‘on the edge’. Well done Nasira…