School Fellows
The Rank Foundation offers financial support to a small number of boys and girls in the Sixth Forms of selected Independent Schools who are thought to have outstanding leadership potential and where there is a financial need which, but for the help of The Foundation, would result in a change of school at a critical time. Candidates for these School Leadership Awards are put forward to the Foundation by the Heads of a few chosen Schools; the Foundation makes the Awards on the evidence of this exceptional leadership.
It is a requirement of those holding an Award to spend two weeks working for a not-for-profit organisation, typically a Youth and Community group where the Rank Foundation has very strong links. This concept of 'paying something back to Society' is an increasingly important concept within the Rank Fellowship.
Some Reports of these Community Activity Placements (CAP) can be found at 'Working with a Charity'
A report on the recent Mentoring Evening
Fellowship Mentoring Evening
19 March 2009
The 2009 Mentoring Evening had a number of new features. It is now an event that the Fellowship holds every two years, designed to encourage as many School Fellows as possible to take an opportunity which will occur just once during their sixth form career. It took place at a new venue: Spencer Stuart had served the Fellowship very generously during the previous four Evenings, but Lindsey Clay’s team at Thinkbox TV hosted the event superbly. The more flexible spaces available at Thinkbox allowed a greater diversity of consultation and discussion.
Another significant new feature was the provision of six workshops to focus the thinking of younger Fellows on particular areas of career planning. Tom Heasman and Tim Young led the discussion on GAP years, while Max Kirby and Kate Kynvin outlined the opportunities of university life. Charlie Barton gave a hugely helpful workshop on putting one’s CV together, while Neil Ritchie spoke about the experiences of working abroad. Simon Turner explained the implications of a career plan for Law, while Arthur Snell’s workshop covered the options for working in Government.
A host of helpful Fellow advisers were also on hand to discuss other career options, ranging from Advertising to the Services, Engineering to Medicine, and Finance to the Media. There were fourteen advisers and twenty-eight seeking advice: over half the School Fellows made the trip to
Lindsey Clay’s welcome to Thinkbox TV was followed by some introductory words by Andrew Cowen. It was fitting that Fred’s brother should have been there to set the Mentoring Evening in motion and there is no doubt that Fred would have approved of the final innovation this year, an excellent meal for thirty of the Fellows at a nearby restaurant.
