Name: Polly Lung

School Serving: Lauriston Primary, City Year London

Hometown: Romford, East London

What made you decide to join City Year UK?

I joined City Year UK after college because I saw it is a chance to both support children and develop myself through the range of opportunities available in the program.  These opportunities include being introduced to corporate mentors, leadership development and in-classroom training.

Why are you committed to serving with City Year UK?

I am committed to serving with City Year because of the difference we see in the children we work with every day. Based on the amount of time we spend with them, they look up to us, their City Year mentors, and we see positive changes in them as they grow. We get to positively influence the progress they make in their school subjects by supporting them with little steps that help them to develop their learning and social skills.

How do you know you are making a difference?

I know that I'm making a difference because by being there every day working with the children, I can see changes happening before my very eyes. By getting the extra support they need to develop, the children are beginning to show a growth mindset and make positive changes in their behavior. Because I am on playground duty, as well as in the classroom, the children also get more of a chance to talk to me and discuss any issues they are going through in a less formal setting.  They know that they can use us as an extra support system.

What does it mean to you to have Bain Capital sponsor your team?

As part of City Year UK, I have the opportunity to participate in the Bridge Builder Program where we are matched with a corporate mentor. My Bridge Builder is a Bain Capital employee and I am looking forward to working with them and using their knowledge to help develop my career focus. I would not have had this opportunity without Bain Capital supporting our team.

Please share a Starfish Story.

I have been working with a group of Year-3 girls who needed help getting along with one another. During one session I had with them, I asked them to write something about themselves that the others in the group didn't know. They enjoyed getting to know each other better and realized that they could get along with one another despite their differences. The girls showed dedication to completing the task and also an eagerness to attend further sessions. This made me feel proud that I was able to make a small difference in such a short amount of time and optimistic about what impact I will be able to have during my full tenure with City Year.