Four Caerphilly County Borough schools are asking former pupils for help to support the current crop of learners.
Risca, Heolddu, Blackwood and St Martin’s comprehensive schools have registered with the charity Future First to set up networks of former students or alumni.
The scheme encourages former students to get in touch with their schools and return to their old places of education to tell current pupils how they faced the same challenges and opportunities when they were their age.
The scheme is being supported by the Welsh Government’s Communities First programme in Caerphilly.
Former students can sign up to Future First’s alumni scheme by clicking on the “Former Students” link on the website.
Lots of private schools and grammar schools do this except they use their former pupils for contacts to obtain work experience, or high-level work placements. It works really well.
To be honest, I’m surprised schools are not already doing it. I hope the scheme is expanded to obtain contacts and not just focus on what challenges lay ahead. Remember, we are always a pupil of a school. We do not leave the school, we only stop attending.