One of the senior teachers at a non-Jewish school has praised the support of a Jewish charity for the “extraordinary impact” it has had on her students.

Hilary Tait, the careers and curriculum support manager at La Sainte Union girls’ school in north-west London, was speaking at the annual dinner for ORT UK.

For the past seven years, the charity, which runs mentoring, work experience and employability skills training through its ORT JUMP programme, has been working with pupils at the Camden Catholic School.

Addressing over 200 guests at the central London event, Tait said: “You have stuck with us for seven years, working with some of the most disadvantaged children in our city, and what an extraordinary thing this is.”

She said that through ORT UK’s mentoring programme, she had witnessed “extraordinary” changes in the students. “I see it in their personal statements; I see it in their demeanour. They know how to present themselves; they know how to go into a formal setting. There is so much value in this.”

The school is one of 14 Jewish and non-Jewish schools that ORT UK works with in London and Manchester. The charity also works with alternative education provider, Gateways. In 2024, over 1,000 students completed an ORT JUMP programme. The charity is hoping to double this number in 2025.

Dan Rickman, the CEO of ORT UK at the charity's annual dinner (Photo: Blake Ezra Photography)

Tait said at the Bridging the Gap dinner, which raised over £400,000, that if she had to describe the charity in three words, they would be “generosity”, “selflessness” and “commitment”.

“’Generous’ because we have been serially let down by those in power. Our funds have been stripped away while we are trying to work with the most vulnerable people who have nothing, and you’ve never asked for anything from us.”

The second word was “‘selflessness’ because …at the most difficult time for the Jewish community, you come in, and you’re sensitive to the fact that some of our students might be Muslim, some might have different views. There’s always that outward-looking nature.”

She said that “commitment” was the third word because “you haven’t given up on us. Society is no better for young people, but you’ve always been there for us, for seven years. I can’t begin to tell you how much we appreciate that.”

Paying tribute to the UK Jewish community as a whole, Tait said: “Wanting to leave the world a better place than you found it encapsulates everything I’ve learnt about Jewish people, Jewish charities and Jewish life in the UK.”

Guests get a sense of what it is like to take part in the ORT JUMP programme (Photo: Blake Ezra Photography)

As part of the World ORT Global network, whose headquarters are also in London, ORT UK has been running programmes for pupils though training and education since 1921.

A number of ORT JUMP participants and alumni spoke on the night, including Emily Bassalian, who herself is now an ORT JUMP mentor. She said: “Mentorship is more than just guidance— it’s about creating a nurturing space where someone can find their voice, realise their potential, and truly thrive.

She said that it was when she was being mentored by a lawyer that she soon discovered a legal career path wasn’t for her. “And I think that realisation was a gift in itself. Mentorship isn't just about guiding us towards something — it’s also about helping us understand where we don’t belong. This clarity helped me define what truly mattered to me and pushed me to explore paths that felt more authentic.”

Now working in private banking, Bassalian said: “Undoubtedly, mentorship is about giving back, about creating connections that ripple through lives, and empowering others to go further than they ever thought possible.”

Emily Bassalian, an alumna of the ORT JUMP programme, speaking at the ORT UK annual dinner

JFS Year 13 Dylan Lack said that his participation in the ORT JUMP International Careers Challenge in Rome and Milan had “enabled me to break out of my comfort zone… It also boosted my confidence to be able to accomplish things independently. It has enabled me to tackle unknown and overwhelming situations with enthusiasm and an optimistic outlook.”

Other young people taking part in the evening were JFS and ORT JUMP participant student Zoe Heiman, JCoSS students, who won the ORT JUMP 3-Day Employability Skills Challenge and ORT JUMP alumni and brothers, Luke and Ollie Shooter who gave a musical performance.

Annette Kurer, ORT UK chair, said afterwards: "I am so proud to be chair of this incredible organisation. Hearing heartfelt testimonials from students, mentors, facilitators and teachers at the annual dinner was proof that ORT UK is succeeding in its mission to bridge the gap between school and the workplace.

“Our ORT JUMP Mentoring and Employability Skills Programmes are empowering young people to be confident in their abilities as well as giving them the vital tools for success as they embark on their career journeys."