IOE alumna inspiring ambitions amongst London schools girls’

After a chance encounter with an inspiring woman who changed the course of her own professional life, Byford teamed up with fellow former teacher Anastasia de Waal to establish 'I Can Be' in schools, a programme which brings inner-city primary school girls into the world of work. Seven and eight year-old girls are given opportunities to research, visit and interview a wide range of female professionals in their workplaces. Targeting children on free school meals, the programme enables girls to explore jobs they otherwise may never be exposed to. This is Lamorna's story.

Career limbo

When I graduated, I had no plan. I thought that my degree in English meant I should be either a journalist or an English teacher. After being rejected from several unpaid journalism internships - which I couldn't have afforded to do anyway - I decided to go into the only other option I was aware of: teaching.

I loved working with the kids and quickly gathered enough stories about the exploits of our more colourful characters to keep me in dinner party conversation for the next few decades. But I also quickly realised that this wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. With no idea about what I did want to do, or what my options were, I was back to square one.

My lack of awareness about the world of work certainly wasn't unique to me: I hadn't received any formal careers education at school or university, and Ofsted have made clear that careers provision is an oft-neglected issue in schools.

No lack of ambition

That isn't to say that teachers don't try to enthuse their students. In 2003, my now colleague, Anastasia de Waal, taught a lesson in the primary school she worked at in East London. She asked her class what they wanted to be when they grew up. Their answers were few and limited in their scope, but this was not because they had low aspirations. It was because they simply didn't know about many - if any - of the jobs that exist.

Making children aware of what is out there in the world of work is only half the battle. Research shows that, even when children do have an awareness of different careers, gender and class stereotypes begin to cement at around seven or eight years-old.  These stereotypes mean that children, and later young adults, see certain jobs as 'not for them', limiting their options even further. The best way to break down these barriers is personal contact with relatable people in those positions.

A lucky break

In 2013, I met a psychologist at work. She encouraged my interest in the subject and suggested that I pursue it. I made the decision to go part-time at work and enrolled at the IOE on a post-graduate certificate in Psychology, which I loved. Since then, I have gone on to gain an MSc in Social Anthropology and to conduct social research for a range of different organisations in London.  

The event that changed the course of my professional life was meeting someone who I could relate to who said to me, "You could do this". She made me aware of a different career path, and made the job real and attainable in my eyes. I was in my mid-to-late twenties before I gained an awareness of the breadth of careers available to me, and a belief that I could be successful. I am grateful for that experience, but I wish it had come earlier.

I Can Be, the project that Anastasia and I are work on, gives girls from disadvantaged areas in London those eye-opening experiences at a young age. Run through primary schools, the six-month programme takes groups of seven and eight year-old girls to meet and interview inspiring women working within their community. By giving them this awareness and those personal connections while they are still in primary school, we can impact the course of their lives before they make the decisions that will affect their futures. We're also working with academics from Goldsmiths, University of London, to produce research that will be shared with education practitioners and parents, allowing us to have an even wider impact on girls' lives.

The impact exposure to a variety of inspiring role models can have on children's later lives is clear. We are helping to inspire imaginations, break down stereotypes and give disadvantaged girls experiences that will allow them to realise their own potential.

Links

• Read more about the project at icanbe.org.uk.

Contact

• Contact Lamorna at lamorna.byford@icanbe.org.uk.