TADA's kids & their families/schools
Going to school every Saturday? This might seem boring, but the TADA kids (10-14 years old) disagree!
TADA teens commit themselves voluntarily to following weekend school classes every Saturday for a period of three school years. They do this very enthusiastically, curious to discover society and the professional world ‘of the grown-ups’.
After these first 3 years, the teens get an entrance ticket to a follow-up trajectory for alumni. Alumni are united in ‘TADA for Life’: a network allowing the alumni to get together on a sporadic basis or to give back to TADA.
The TADA kids come from 50 different elementary schools in Brussels, close to our weekend schools in Sint-Joost-ten-Node, Anderlecht, Molenbeek and Schaerbeek.
The demand for participation exceeds the number of available places.
In order to ensure that full advantage is taken of limited places, TADA conducts a survey during its invitation rounds in the schools.
With this, TADA assesses:
- The children’s desire to participate in TADA
- The children’s access to other empowering, extracurricular activities (like music lessons)
- The general, socioeconomic familial background of the children
Between the very suitable and motivated participants, TADA awards the places with quota by gender and school. Teens living in the most challenging circumstances, normally get the advantage. There is a waiting list for children who do not receive a spot immediately. When a child unexpectedly leaves the program, that place comes free.
TADA places a great emphasis on parental involvement. It is essential that the family of a TADA teenager is positive about TADA, to give the child the best chances of development and to succeed in our mission.
How do we involve the families of the teens in our way of working?
- In the beginning of the school year we organize an information evening for the parents.
- We invite families during the school year to show moments and the graduation ceremony.
- Our coordinators visit the families of all teenagers at home.
- The TADA team is reachable by phone for questions or remarks and is approachable after and before the TADA class.