Our amazing student ambassador Nosheen Alam spoke at the House of Lords on Thursday 15th May about her experience being on The Scholars Programme and going to university, showcasing the importance of investing in the skills and confidence of students from less advantaged backgrounds.
Nosheen spoke as part of a My Maiden Speech event organised by Speakers Trust, in which young people representing charities across the country speak out on a subject they are passionate about, raising the profile of causes they fight for whilst giving people opportunities to be heard.
The Brilliant Club team at the House of Lords, left-right: Sabrina Luisi, Chloe Henderson, Nosheen Alam, Steina Adolfsdottir
The event was attended by MPs, community leaders, young people and business leaders. Nosheen said of the experience: “I really enjoyed my experience of working with Speakers Trust and being able to bring awareness to the fact that in order for young people from more disadvantaged backgrounds to thrive academically, more opportunities need to be made available for them to do so!
“Being an ambassador for The Brilliant Club for over two years has been incredible, and I’ve loved my experience so far as I get to speak to and give advice to pupils of all ages who want to know more about higher education. As well as this, being able to help out on their events and receiving incredible opportunities like My Maiden Speech at the House of Lords!”
Here is Nosheen’s full speech she delivered to a selected audience at the House of Lords:
“People like us don’t have much of a chance in life”. One in four young people from deprived areas feel this way.
I myself was unsure of my future at times, and under pressure to ensure achievement due to my background. I was a 16-year-old from Essex, feeling anxious, worried, and frustrated. I didn’t feel as though I was getting the same opportunities and advantages that others had.
As well as this, I had the challenge of trying to get through the English education system, with parents who didn’t really understand it and hadn’t gone through it themselves. It wasn’t just me who was in a situation like this though, as government studies show that students from lower income households receive less academic support at home and in school.
Research has also found that less advantaged pupils are 18 months behind on their attainment levels by the time they reach their GCSEs.
How can we address the problems and concerns in attainment and achievement? We need to provide that extra support and guidance that pupils need to thrive and show them that they CAN do the things that they think they can’t.
I came to find out about The Brilliant Club when I was in Year 12. I was one of eleven students out of my year selected to take part in their Scholars Programme, designed to be academically challenging, with set topics outside of the curriculum.
I learned about what it took to apply and get into the most competitive universities, challenged myself in many ways, and gained a newfound confidence in myself and my abilities.
Now I am 19 years old, a university student, and one of The Brilliant Club’s ambassadors. I speak to pupils of all ages, who are in the position that I once was. One in four from lower income backgrounds believe that they don’t have a chance in life.
With more opportunities like those The Brilliant Club offers, we could change this, by instilling a positive, can-do attitude and self-confidence, creating a brighter future for young people. The alternative is that we continue to isolate our most disadvantaged young people and compromise our next generation.
We need to level the playing field and provide more guidance and encouragement for young people and their goals. Our backgrounds should not make us an immediate write-off. Let us nurture the next generation, so that this 16-year-old, Bengali Hijabi girl, and all 16-year-olds that will follow, can feel confident and free.
Thank you to Speakers Trust for organising the event, as well as to the Westminster Foundation, Cadent Gas and SEC Newgate UK for funding this year’s My Maiden Speech.
If you are passionate about social mobility and university progression, make sure to register for our upcoming virtual event for Friends of the Brilliant Club for Social Mobility Day (June 12th): Boosting Social Mobility through University Access