In September 2005 Learning Trust employee Heloise Tsang signed up as mentor on the Hackney Schools Mentoring Programme where she was matched with Our Lady’s Convent School student Shevonne Weir, then aged 14. Four years on mentor and mentee still remain in good contact, but are now more like friends, swapping their fortnightly mentoring sessions for regular catch-ups over lunch. Heloise explains that now Shevonne is an adult too their relationship is slightly different: “It’s not so business based now, although I still give Shevonne advice, we also spend just as much time cackling and talking about normal everyday stuff like clothes and shopping”.

Shevonne achieved an A*, four A’s and five B’s in her GCSE’s, is now studying for A-Levels in History, Literature and Government & Politics and has her career mapped out with four conditional offers to study Law at University. Heloise is overjoyed at her achievements, “I’m really proud of the adult Shevonne has become; she’s achieved so much and is now making big life decisions”.