Reclaiming Narratives through the Power of Mentoring

This Black History Month we reflect on the theme ‘Reclaiming Narratives’ by exploring how our flagship youth mentoring programme — Oasis 360 — helps Black young people reclaim the stories that form who they are.

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Martin Luther King Jr. was just 26 years old when he led a protest in Montgomery, Alabama, that changed the course of history. He was reclaiming a narrative—one of Black dignity, equality, and liberation. How can we empower young people today to do the same?

Did you know that in some areas of England, Black students are 70% more likely to be excluded from school than white students? This is a harrowing statistic.

Why does this problem exist?

“There are general reasons why children of all races are excluded from school,” says Prosper Karatunga, Programme Manager of Oasis 360, our mentoring programme designed to reduce exclusions and support young people in local communities. “These include the structure of the education system. Not all young people are naturally suited to the academic framework. Many struggle to focus for long periods, which can be mistaken for disruptive behaviour. Additionally, many are still recovering from the two years of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected their ability to socialise, build relationships, and, in some cases, led to behaviours schools find unacceptable.”

However, for Black students, the challenges are more specific. “Many struggle with mainstream education due to two main reasons: a lack of representation and cultural biases,” Prosper explains.

According to the 2023 School Workforce in England report, just 2.7% of teachers identify as Black. “This means many Black students do not feel represented in school and lack role models who reflect their experiences and can encourage them to thrive academically,” says Prosper.

This lack of representation also results in a gap in understanding cultural norms and expectations, leaving many Black students feeling isolated. “In some Black cultures, such as Caribbean communities, it’s more common to speak loudly and express emotions passionately—often more so than in the UK. Many Caribbean students who behave this way in school may be misinterpreted as disruptive or even angry by teachers from different cultural backgrounds,” says Prosper. “Even the way Black students dress or walk down the corridor can be misinterpreted as disrespectful. These students are simply expressing their cultural identity, living out the narratives and norms that connect them to their families and peers. This isn’t about blaming individuals but about recognising the need for improvement in the broader national education system,” Prosper adds.

How can we challenge this?

One of the key ways we are addressing this is through Oasis 360 Mentoring. Oasis 360 connects young people with reliable adult mentors who provide encouragement, advocacy, and love, helping them discover new ways of engaging with the world. Whilst our mentoring is open to all young people, regardless of race, Oasis 360, in collaboration with Mission 44—the youth charity founded by Sir Lewis Hamilton—places a particular focus on supporting Black boys, because statistics show they are particularly vulnerable to exclusion.

Therefore, Oasis 360 Mentoring provides a way to reduce exclusions and create conditions for Black young people to reclaim their narratives. “Giving young people the space to discover who they are in the world is crucial,” says Prosper. “Ultimately, they want to be loved, understood, supported, and given a fair chance in life—a space where they can tell their own stories.”

To meet the need for greater representation and transformative change, “Oasis 360 is unique among many mentoring programmes because it prioritises recruiting mentors with similar life experiences. These mentors are often local, of the same race, and have faced some of the same challenges as the young people they mentor,” Prosper explains. This approach helps young people connect with, trust, and relate to their mentors.

However, “we also recruit mentors from all backgrounds because race or shared experiences aren’t everything and don’t automatically make someone the right mentor,” Prosper adds. “In my previous role in the corporate world, I saw incredible transformations between mentors and mentees from very different walks of life.”

While representation is important, the essence of mentoring goes deeper. “Mentoring is about the individual’s heart,” Prosper explains. “Reclaiming the narratives of Black young people means that mentors—regardless of their background—must be people who listen before they speak. Deep listening allows young people to express who they are without having an agenda imposed on them.”

Mentoring also requires vulnerability. “Being a mentor means admitting that you don’t have all the answers and that you are able to learn from the young person you’re mentoring and the stories they live by. As mentors, we must always return to understanding—setting aside our preconceived ideas about what a young person needs, why they are where they are, and what we think should be done. We must allow young people to lead,” Prosper emphasises. “It’s easy to judge a young person’s actions without considering the root causes.”

Years after the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered one of the most famous speeches in history, expressing his vision for the future. In it, he spoke of a world where young people of all races are “judged not by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Through Oasis 360 Mentoring we work every day to bring this vision into a reality; creating non-judgmental spaces where narratives are reclaimed, relationships are nurtured, and futures are transformed.

To find out more or if you are interested in becoming an Oasis 360 mentor, please email Prosper at prosper.karatunga@oasisuk.org.