We're thrilled to announce that for the second consecutive year, Tillo is collaborating with the Dare2Dream Foundation to provide mentorship and support to students at Varndean School in Brighton.
Six of our team members will be volunteering their time to serve as mentors, empowering the next generation with the life skills, emotional well-being, and career guidance they need to flourish.
What is the Dare2Dream Foundation?
The Dare2Dream Foundation is more than just an initiative; it's a lifeline for vulnerable children and young people across the UK. With a stellar reputation for providing therapeutic support, the organization's dedicated team focuses on:
🧠 Enhancing mental health
💫 Offering positive behaviour support
🎓 Delivering alternative education provisions
From students with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to those on the brink of exclusion, Dare2Dream supports children from all walks of life, enabling them to engage with education and build a brighter future.
Reflecting on Last Year’s Success
Our commitment to Dare2Dream isn’t new; Tillo was involved with Varndean School last year, and the experience was incredibly enriching, not just for the students but also for the mentors.
This year, we're back and excited to be working with Dare2Dream and Varndean School again, this time with a new set of mentors and a new set of mentees!
Want to know more? Here's what some of Tillo’s mentors have to say about getting involved with the programme. 👇
"I remember talking to Tillo’s Dare2Dream mentors last year, and they all said how enriching and eye-opening the programme had been. When I heard we were taking part for a second year, I jumped at the chance to get involved!
I still remember so vividly how challenging this part of school felt - being faced with huge life decisions like GCSE options while also maturing as a person and feeling the pressures of social media and everything that brings with it - it’s a lot!
I hope that by taking part, I can provide some comfort and reassurance to these kids and help them realise how magical they all are.”
- Sophia Whitham, Content Marketing Manager at Tillo
“I am so excited to be part of this fantastic programme; hearing from colleagues who put themselves out there for last year's initiative, it's clear that they all benefited personally from the experience and really felt they were able to make a difference.
I enjoyed school but preferred my out-of-school interests, such as dance, and made a call to follow my passion even when I was unsure where it could lead me in the future. I got through college and went on to study Dance at University. I knew by the end I didn’t want to pursue a career, but it gave me so many life skills that have ultimately led me to the successful career I hold today.
I hope my experience will encourage others to see that there are many options and it’s okay that things may change as long as you follow what you believe is right for you."
- Briony Robertson, VP of People at Tillo
“I'm excited to "go back to school" but this time with the advantage of the experience and knowledge I have now about life after school, the roundabouts and traffic jams in a career, and the joy of finally finding your way.
I'm hoping I can share my experiences to help current students calm any worries about the path ahead and the decisions they will be making to carve out their careers. I would love to give my mentees confidence that no matter what they choose, they are not closing doors to discover their calling - the most important thing is to be happy and enjoy the journey ahead, whatever it may be!
I wish someone had taught me that when I was going through this stage of school life!”
- Kavita, FP&A Manager at Tillo
''The career I ended up in was not one I had planned when I was at school; in fact, I don't think I had any career planned at all! The industries I've ended up leading teams in didn't even exist when I was at school.
I'm excited about the opportunity to talk to students about their hopes and worries and hopefully share some guidance to help them shape their future, or at least give them some tools to be able to navigate the vast amount of opportunities that are out there, and learn that there really is a whole world of career choices they can apply their skills and passions to than they may currently believe!''
- Maria Khoury, Head of Operations at Tillo
“When the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful initiative was presented, I was excited to be a part of it.
My personal experience with School was not a negative one, although I found it hard to connect with any particular subject with the kind of passion I was hoping to have in a career. It wasn’t until a little later down the line that I discovered my passion for music and the music industry and spent the subsequent decade working, living, and breathing that world.
More recently, changing priorities and life circumstances led me to seek out a new challenge to throw myself at. I leant on an existing curiosity with the tech industry, put myself through a coding bootcamp, and haven’t looked back since!
I think what I hope to bring to this initiative is that it’s ok not to have it all figured out early on. Then even once you do connect with something, it’s ok (and incredibly rewarding) to figure out something else! The twists and turns of your working life might take you by surprise, but what I have also found surprising is the value of your life experiences, and how you can apply those to anything you want in the future."
- Tim Morris, Junior Software Engineer at Tillo
