Ignoring negativity was among the inspirational advice given to Key Stage 3 pupils at Dagenham Heathway library on Saturday.
The mixer included a talk by motivational speaker Warren Ryan and the library’s youth action team, who spoke about their experiences of peer pressure and bullying.
About 36 year seven to nine pupils attended the event, where they were advised to be positive, focus on their goals and remember that they are unique.
Library volunteer Phinnah Ikeji, who organised the event, admitted that she was even inspired h by the interactive event.
“A lot of the youngsters were really engaged and were asking lots of questions,” she said.
Phinnah, who founded Ten2Teens magazine, organised a similarly successful event for year seven pupils last year.
She now hopes to hold the mixers on a regular basis.
“The feedback has been really positive and some people were asking us to do it every week,” she said.
“Hopefully we can make it something bigger because there isn’t a lot of youth activities in the borough and this is something really inspirational which they can listen to and then go back to school and do their best.”
Visit lbbd.gov.uk for more upcoming library events.
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