African Community School Gains Propel Grant, Supported by The Mercers' Company 

The African Community School (ACS) has secured a substantial grant from The Mercers' Company through the Propel initiative, a long-term funding collaboration designed to give London's civil society and communities the flexibility, trust, and capacity to make long-term, systemic change. As a voluntary community organisation based in Hackney, the African Community School has been offering holistic educational programmes for children, young people, families, and adults for the past 22 years. 

Thanks to the Propel grant, the African Community School is now able to launch its Mentoring Programme. This programme targets young people facing challenges that impact their academic achievement and school engagement, such as fixed-term exclusions, low academic performance, and involvement with the criminal justice system. By fostering strong mentor-mentee relationships, the Mentoring Programme helps young people develop independence, self-awareness, life skills, and encourages them to plan for their future aspirations. 

The 12-month programme will enable mentors to build lasting relationships with mentees, creating a more significant impact on young people's lives. The funding allows the programme to continue for three years, extending its positive influence on more young people. Additionally, the Propel grant will support the Saturday School and Summer School Programmes, offering supplementary education across KS1-KS4. These programmes tackle educational barriers by ensuring accessibility for low-income households and families who would otherwise lack access to such support. 

"The Propel grant comes at a pivotal time for our organisation, as it will enable us to create lasting change and positively impact the lives of more young people in our community," said Kome Owuasu, Programme Manager at the African Community School. "The funding will allow us to not only launch our Mentoring Programme but also enhance our existing Saturday School and Summer School Programmes."  

The Propel initiative is powered by London Funders. More information about the Propel collaboration is available here. 

To learn more, sign up as a mentor or mentee, or register for Saturday or Summer School, contact the African Community School at 07484 356 541 or office@acschool.org.uk 

For more information about ACS, please visit www.acschool.org.uk