Urban Synergy held their second Role Model Seminar at Prendergast Ladywell School on Tuesday 24th April at 6:30pm. The seminar was hosted by Urban Synergy’s own Sue Watson and included the following panel:
- Toks Arouture: Founder & Furniture Designer - The Baby Cot Shop
- William Schomberg: Chief UK Economics Correspondent - Thomson Reuters
- Dr. Donald Palmer: Associate Professor of Immunology - The Royal Veterinary College
- Wayne Burnett: Manager of the under 23’s Team - Tottenham Hotspur
All of the panelists talked about their career journey and provided advice and tips for the students who attended the event.
Toks Arouture talked about her journey and said ‘Be resilient, like a rubber band. Be able to stretch yourself as far as you can go and then bounce right back. Be authentic, be yourself. Be intuitive, trust your gut. Trust what you desire is what you want to do, parents will accept what you do if you do it well.’
Donald Palmer told the students ‘Whatever you want to do in life if you have a passion, that passion will take you to where you can excel.’
William Schomberg talked to the students about ‘Perseverance - you do have to take a lot of knocks. To succeed you need a combination of really hard work, have the confidence to follow through your ideas and to ask a lot of questions.’
Wayne Burnett talked to the students about his journey as a professional footballer and coach and mentioned to the students that he tells himself and for them to tell themselves ‘Everyday, be a better person that I was yesterday.’
Neil Flannigan, MBE and a World War II RAF veteran, addressed the students at the end of the seminar and told them to regularly visit their school library and make use of it. He also said ‘I would like to come back in the future and see you as leaders in the country.’
Role models in attendance who also took part in the speed mentoring session, together with the panelists and the students included a ; Surveyor, Solicitor, Business Manager, Cartoonist/Illustrator, Police Sergeant, Station Manager/Firefighter, Technology Policy Advisor - Cabinet Office, Fashion Stylist
Some of the feedback received from the students from the evening;
Chantel: ‘I was inspired by all of the role models as they all had something special to say which had an impact on me and and I realise I can do what I love to do. I will listen in school more while I have the opportunity and find things to do which will help in my career.’
Sandra aged 15yrs: ‘I learned that you should stay true to yourself and follow what you want to be. All of the role models were interesting and inspiring. I will focus on what I want to be and put 100% into whatever I want to achieve. I enjoyed the whole event, it made me take whatever ambitions I have seriously.’
Emily aged 12yrs: ‘I learned to believe in your dreams and to make every second count. I will try my best to achieve what I want. I will be resilient and everything I do, I’ll do with effort.’
Manuela aged 15yrs: I learned that with every pathway, every career and every decision you make you’ll always hit bumps along the way and for that we should be grateful - because it’s the mistakes we make that teaches us the most. I will continue working hard and will do everything I can do to get far in life.’
Denicka: ‘I learned that I can be anything I want to be, as long as I put my mind and effort into it.’
