Luton tutoring agency wants to create leaders in life

Tailor-made initiative for all-round success
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A young Luton businessman has come up with a revolutionary blueprint for a tutoring agency.

Former Denbigh High School pupil Hamza Shah, 22, started EmpowerOwl Education during his last year at Strathclyde University studying finance and accountancy.

The agency has two main aims: to provide tutoring and mentoring facilities for everyone and to create successful all-rounders who will contribute not only to their communities but also to society as a whole. Discounts and free lessons are available to students from low income backgrounds.

Hamza Shah, the young entrepreneur behind EmpowerOwl EducationHamza Shah, the young entrepreneur behind EmpowerOwl Education
Hamza Shah, the young entrepreneur behind EmpowerOwl Education

Hamza - who left Luton Sixth Form College with nine A*s and three As - says: "I've always been passionate about social causes and witnessed first hand in Luton the waste of talent due to lack of proper support and guidance.

"The traditional curriculum is too focused on passing exams. We want to expand it to help students prepare for the future. We want to create leaders in education with an A* in life."

He adds: "We offer free after-hours support and free workshops to help build skills in different area. This is to ensure our students know their tutors are also mentors who are with them every step of the way."

EmpowerOwl designs lessons, homework and curricula according to individual needs.

It has recently devised a new initiative, divided into three age groups, called Broader Learning. The objective is to encourage more critical and analytical thinking through open discussions, debates and essays.

Hamza explains: "Students will have a chance to voice their opinions without fear of being judged.

"They will be free to discuss issues from their own unique perspective and will learn to craft their responses in structured and coherent fashion, whether that be in essay writing or public speaking.

"Topics will also relate to current affairs to encourage greater integrity, global awareness and respect and tolerance for the thoughts and beliefs of other cultures and communities.

"We teach transferable skills to increase their confidence and charisma to allow them to be successful in any field - not just maths, science and English."

Parents are also kept very much in the loop. They're provided with a personalised four week plan, updated monthly with extensive progress reports, so they know exactly what their child is doing. They also have regular check-ins with Hamza and his tutors.

EmpowerOwl Education is a social enterprise with a portion of its profits helping impoverished students.

Hamza says: "Although we have the work ethic and mentality of a large corporation, the truth is we're a small start up.

"We get no outside or government support so what we offer comes out of our own pockets or our lovely tutors volunteering their time.

"But in time we hope to get more donations for our Sponsor a Student programme and help from the local council.

"Eventually we'd like to become an international brand that reaches out to struggling students all over the globe, creating a network connecting them with educators and mentors."

> For more information, visit empowerowl.com

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