Why I do What I do: Yinka Aresa
This month, we spoke to Yinka Aresa, Alumni Coordinator for Harris Westminster Sixth Form. Yinka is also currently completing a law conversion course at the University of Warwick- he spoke to us about his early years at Harris Peckham and his transition to Harris Westminster, as well as explaining his motivations for taking on the alumni coordinator role.
Can you tell us a bit about your time at Harris?
I’ve been part of the Harris Federation since 2012, when I started in Year 7 at Harris Academy Peckham. Here, I met lots of the people who have become my forever family. At Peckham I was blessed with teachers who believed in me and continued to push me, allowing me to take on more GCSEs and staying back late to support us.
My highlights are: all the concerts we played as an orchestra, being in student council, late days studying with friends and hilarious conversations with teachers. When I finished my GCSEs, it made sense to transition to Harris Westminster because of how academically vigorous and open it was.
What has the role of alumni coordinator at Harris Westminster been like for you?
I was inspired to take on the responsibility of Alumni Coordinator because I recognised the amazing prospects of the HWSF alumni network. The Harris Westminster community is one of hard work, perseverance, resilience, and dedication. As a result, our alumni are in some of the top institutions in the country, and across the world.
Many of our students come from areas of high deprivation, and I believe there is nothing more inspiring that seeing someone who is just like you, show you what is possible. With my job as Alumni Coordinator, my aim is to create a space for our alumni to share their legacy and to be someone else’s inspiration.
You took a gap year after your A Levels. How did you find this?
During my gap year, I took on a role as an SEN teaching assistant at Harris Greenwich. This involved working within the brilliant SEN department, alongside some incredible students with various SEND needs. It was the highlight of my gap year as I learnt a lot about responsibility, and it was here I truly became a champion for educational reforms and equity.
I also spent the year investing in my photography skills, and worked with the British Council at the Venice Biennale, conducting research into how to make gallery spaces more accessible to young people from different backgrounds.
You are currently studying Law at Warwick University. What inspired you to choose this degree?
I have always known that I wanted to practice law because I want a career where I am constantly learning and being intellectually challenged. However, I first wanted to explore my passion for History and Literature, which was nurtured by my teachers at Harris Westminster. As such, my undergraduate degree was in English and History. I am now completing my conversion course into a law degree- in the future, I hope to be working for a magic circle law firm.
What advice would you give to current students?
My biggest piece of advice would be to say yes to opportunities, even if they push you outside of our comfort zone. I have learnt a lot and met many incredible people because I’ve said yes to something and pushed myself through an application even when I wasn’t certain I was qualified. I had to learn that the worst that could happen is that I will receive a ‘no’ or I fail. In that case, I start again, learn from the ‘no’ or failure, and I’m one step closer to success.