The Gateway team at Abingdon and Witney College were awarded the Kindness in Education Award last month from Team Kind in recognition of their compassionate approach to their provision.
The Kindness in Education Awards were established this year as a part of KindFest, a virtual festival celebrating kindness and inclusion across different sectors in the community. With guest speakers, interviews and live music, the awards were a way to celebrate ‘projects related to kindness and compassion in schools, colleges and universities.’ The Gateway team were presented the award virtually as a celebration of the work they do with young people and in recognition of their compassionate ethos with their students, with the host of the awards thanking them for the work that they do to inspire and influence the future generation.
Gateway is a provision for 14 to 16-year-olds at Abingdon and Witney College. Young people join Gateway for a variety of reasons, from caring responsibilities, bullying or mental health issues. Regardless of the reasons behind being there, every student is treated with kindness, compassion, and respect. Those that work in Gateway strive to treat each student that walks through their doors on an individual basis. They support students through their qualifications whilst helping them decide what their next steps may be once they leave Gateway. Students quickly start to build their confidence and have goals for the future.
Lisa Rideout, the Curriculum Manager for the team, has said that she feels honoured to be receiving the award and that it encapsulates exactly what she and her team strive to achieve with their students. Working at the college for the past 16 years, Lisa has been a steadfast role model for her students, offering them unwavering support, kindness, and encouragement. She has expressed how much she loves her job, the passion she has for helping her students succeed and her drive to ensure that Gateway continues to offer support to their young people.
Lisa has said that she and her team gain inspiration daily from their students, which is something that she feels incredibly grateful for.
