During this time of national upheaval and crisis, the Lars Windhorst Foundation is acutely aware of the disruption that will be caused to young people’s lives and education which is why it is offering essential support to schools, staff and families.

Schools are experiencing an unprecedented situation, transitioning from classroom teaching to remote learning. To support them in making this transition easier, the Lars Windhorst Foundation is providing teaching material and equipment. Additionally, the Foundation is delivering games and supplies for the children of key workers who are still attending school at this time. This effort has been further supported by Amazon who have contributed a generous donation for students.

“The King Solomon Academy community is delighted with the support it has received from the Lars Windhorst Foundation during this difficult period of readjustment. Like all schools, we’ve had to completely reimagine the ways in which we can provide excellent education for all our pupils, be it remotely, or for the few key worker children that are still attending the school. Generous donations from Lars Windhorst Foundation have meant that we can increase our impact during home learning tuition online and pupils on site have access to more variety of engaging resources.”
Assistant Principal, King Solomon Academy, April 2020

As well as education support, the Foundation also recognises the significant impact this period will have on people’s mental and emotional health. As we find our way through this uncertain period, the Foundation has also launched a programme with Light Education Training in April and their team of qualified psychotherapists from the UK Council for Psychotherapy to offer support and advice to families, teachers and school staff at local primary schools in London. For families, the long-term experience of being in lockdown requires a degree of emotional resilience that many are struggling with. Fears about the unstable economy, family health, continuity within education and the future in general is adding to an overall sense of anxiety and panic for many. The same applies to teachers and school staff who are under a lot of pressure as front line workers, working through their holidays.

By supporting parents, the Foundation believes it can help support the entire family. Wellbeing sessions for parents offer them the opportunity to come together, facilitated by highly trained and experienced psychotherapists in child and family mental health. This support is equally important for teachers and school staff who are being relied on to keep the educational system functioning. These sessions can offer advice and support, the opportunity to share experiences, and provide practical suggestions to release stress and anxiety such as body awareness and breathing techniques. One-to-one personal sessions are also offered to parents, teachers, and school staff who need a more private interaction with the therapist.

The Independent and the Evening Standard talk about our Covid-19 initiatives