BARNSLEY MP Dan Jarvis has announced he is supporting the expansion of the Children’s University across South Yorkshire - which will see the creation of a new Children’s University in Barnsley.
The Children’s University is a national charity which works with schools to encourage participation in extra-curricular activities particularly with children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Children attend special graduation ceremonies when they clock up a target number of activity hours.
The MP and Mayor of Sheffield City Region has pledged £95,000 of his Mayoral Capacity Funding - to support the expansion of the successful Sheffield Children’s University model across South Yorkshire.
This will include the creation of new Children’s Universities in Barnsley and Rotherham, and will support the future developments of the existing Children’s University centre in Doncaster.
“Helping to improve life opportunities for all of our young people, to enable them to realise their full potential, is an absolute priority for my Mayoralty,” he said.
“I believe it’s so important that young people from all backgrounds get the opportunity to benefit from this fantastic project.
“This is why I’m delighted to confirm this Mayoral Capacity Fund money, to expand the Children’s University and give children from across South Yorkshire the range of opportunities that they so deserve.”
Cathy Sinclair, head of UK student recruitment at Sheffield Hallam and South Yorkshire Futures aspiration lead, said: “Supporting young people to identify and achieve their aspirations is a fundamental ambition of South Yorkshire Futures and we are extremely proud of our partnership with the Children’s University, which has a proven record of improving attainment and aspiration in young people.
“Through the first year of South Yorkshire Futures, we have already been able to increase opportunities for participation in Children’s University across the region. This commitment from Dan Jarvis will further support us in achieving our ambition to extend the reach and impact of Children’s University across the whole of South Yorkshire over the next few years.”
