Ask The Question CIC thanks Tesco and Groundwork UK for their generous grant to support disadvantaged students in Calderdale

Ask The Question CIC has thanked Tesco and Groundwork UK for their generous donation after receiving a grant to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Calderdale. 

Tesco shoppers were invited, through the ‘Blue Token Scheme’ to vote for Ask The Question CIC at the beginning of the year, and Ask The Question CIC received a generous donation. 

The grant has been provided to support students who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and who are from disadvantaged backgrounds to access educational support and mentorship at their safe office space in Hebden Bridge. 

Ask The Question provides one-to-one tuition and mentorship to children and teenagers in Calderdale who have experienced adverse childhood experiences, in particular those who have suffered as a result of abuse, neglect and trauma. They have worked with over 120 students since they were formally founded in 2017, over half of which have had experience of local authority care.

Sessions at Ask The Question focus on well-being, social and emotional learning, and the building of resilience, and aim to improve educational outcomes by providing a nurturing environment that is safe, secure, flexible, caring and a place where positive relationships are seen as fundamental. Research shows that children perform significantly better when they’re tutored one-to-one for their education, compared to students who are tutored in a traditional classroom setting. Sessions look to enable students to gain qualifications and increase their employability for the future, enabling more positive future outcomes for their lives ahead.

Students who attend sessions through Ask The Question have consistently reached their potential, with every student passing their Maths and English GCSE, and three students this year going on to attend a Russell Group University. They recently celebrated all of their 11+ students passing the 11+ exam.

Jo Austin, founder of Ask The Question, said, “Thank you so much to Tesco and Groundwork UK for this generous grant which will enable us to have a direct impact on students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Calderdale. We would also like to extend our thanks to all those who shop at Tesco and kindly voted for us. It is an honour to be so well supported by those in our local community.”