Since the rise of COVID-19, Laser 2000 has been working closely with a variety of outreach and support programmes. This includes the Red Balloon Learner Centre programme, which supports young people suffering from social anxiety and lifelong conditions, and helps them to re-engage in education and personal development.
History
The Beginning: Red Balloon was set up in 1996 to support young people who’d been so badly bullied they could no longer go to school. Their programmes also worked well for other students who were finding attending a mainstream school difficult, so they expanded their provision to support a range of students for whom wellbeing and dedicated support were vital.
True Success: Red Balloon recognise that a truly successful school cannot focus simply on top grades; real success is happy students who are well equipped to cope in life and who are supported to reach their goals.
The first Red Balloon: The first Centre was opened in a converted house in Cambridge, with space for 20 students. The scheme soon expanded, with Centres opening in Reading, Norwich, and North West London, followed by the creation of Red Balloon of the Air, an online Centre where students are able to log in and attend virtually, from their own homes.
Red Balloon Learner Centres
What they do:
“Red Balloon is an alternative to school which enables young people to re-engage with education. We have both ‘physical’ and virtual Centres to best meet students’ needs.
Students are at the heart of what we do, and there is an equal focus on mental wellbeing alongside education. Students can negotiate their curriculum to ensure their interests and goals are being met, and their personal development achievements are highly valued. Through engaging with Red Balloon, students can grow as individuals, restore their confidence, develop resilience, and build the skills they need to successfully handle returning to education, work, or further training.”
Why Red Balloon is needed:
“We know that exam grades are not a measure of a successful education. Progress and attainment can be seen in all aspects of a student’s life if we choose to acknowledge and support them, and that is what Red Balloon does.
Progress looks different for each individual student, and attainment is measured against their individual needs and the goals they set for themselves. Students may need a little extra support in their mental wellbeing, personal development or education to get them back to a place where they feel able to re-engage with their peers again.
Our aim is to help students continue their education and personal development so they can successfully return to a mainstream school, further training, or work. Students are offered a programme tailored to their individual needs and personal goals.”
Their legacy
So far Red Balloon has helped over 600 young people, and the charity is growing fast, but can still only reach a fraction of those students who need help. For many students who have self-excluded, they are the last hope. None of these students are a lost cause; with the right support, a focus on mental wellbeing, and the attention to individual needs and goals that Red Balloon provides these students can, and do, turn their lives around again.
How you can help!
Red Balloon can’t provide care and support for bullied and vulnerable children without your help. There are lots of ways to get involved, so do take a look below and find one that suits you.
- Make a donation
- Fundraise
- Become a friend of Red Balloon
- Leave a gift in your will
- Philanthropy
- Partnerships
For more information on how you can change the lives of young people in need, please find Red Balloon’s support page here.
Support & Contacts
If you want to get involved and learn more about the Red Balloon family, please visit their website at the link below.