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Volunteers from Local Sussex Organisations Help Boost Young People’s Confidence and Career Prospects in Brighton and Chichester.

An inspirational programme to help local young people fulfil their potential and improve their employment opportunities has been launched in Sussex. Be the Change, created in 2015 by LoveLocalJobs.com and Graham Moore of metamoorephosis helps 13 and 14 year-olds negotiate the gap between education and employment. Since its inception the programme has helped to support 2,000 young people in Sussex and now sees the launch of new programmes in Brighton and Chichester. At the emotional and life changing launches, the students and business volunteers took part in activities that focused on happiness, confidence, hope, relationships and employability. The activities were created and expertly led by Graham Moore, a former teacher who understands the
challenges facing young people today.

Graham said: “Our vision is for every young person to have raised hope and confidence, to have the chance to develop life skills and create positive cycles that will prepare them for life. Be the Change is a perfect vehicle to help young people develop the qualities and qualifications they need for a
better future. The volunteers and the invaluable support and belief of local businesses adds a further dimension and depth to the engagement and journey the young people will experience.”

Gary Peters, Founder of LoveLocalJobs.com, said: “Year 9 is when young people make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives – from where they fit within their peer groups, to what subjects they will study for their GCSEs. Our job is to help them recognise and build on their strengths and to give them the tools, knowledge and confidence to make the right decisions.”

Brighton Be the Change 2019

Sussex Police initiated the launch of the programme in Brighton to inspire young people by building their confidence and self-esteem to improve their employment and educational opportunities. The new Brighton programme was launched with year 9 students from Brighton and Hove secondary
schools on Thursday, January 31 at the American Express Community Stadium.

The 2019 Brighton programme launched following aspirations of Sussex Police to develop a preventative programme to support disengaged young people. The programme was also made possible following the support and business volunteers from other leading local employers, including
headline sponsor Brandwatch and supporting partners American Express, Legal & General, Focus Group and Brighton and Hove City Council.

The schools involved in the programme are: Blatchington Mill, Cardinal Newman, Dorothy Stringer, Hove Park, Kings School, Longhill High School, PACA, Patcham High and Varndean School.

Donna Ward, Detective Inspector from Sussex Police said: “We are really proud that alongside our partners, we have been able to make this happen for the young people of Brighton & Hove. We know that there is a direct correlation between school exclusions and the likelihood of being drawn
into crime and so supporting those who are disengaged in education and empowering them to make positive choices acts as an excellent early preventative measure.

“As well as the wealth of benefits to the children who have been selected to participate in this programme, this is also a fantastic opportunity for the nine Brighton Police Officers and staff who have volunteered alongside other local businesses to act as mentors for the duration of the
programme. We are always looking to develop new ways of engaging with and breaking down barriers with young people and programmes such as this provide the ideal opportunity to do just that.”

Jeremy Holtom, Head of Year 9 at Dorothy Stringer School said: “A superb day. Every student was welcomed and valued. They were given a boost to their confidence and a chance to share and have celebrated what is best about them. I watched a visible and positive change take place in many of
my students during the course of the day. An inspirational start to what promises to be a really beneficial programme.”

Chichester Be the Change 2019

The 2019 Chichester programme launched following aspirations of Chichester District Council to develop a programme to support disengaged young people. Volunteer business guides from some of the leading local employers, including Chichester District Council, Chichester College, Petworth Vision and Vitacress, were touched by the honest and emotional stories of the local students who shared their experiences and day-to-day challenges at the Chichester Be the Change event.

The schools involved in the programme are: Bourne Community College, Midhurst Rother College, The Academy Selsey, Chichester High School, Bishop Luffa and Chichester Free School.

Cllr Tony Dignum, Leader of Chichester District Council said: “Students can become disengaged for many reasons, and this can have a real impact on their personal and professional development. Therefore, it’s fantastic that disengaged young people in Chichester District will be able to benefit
from Be the Change and the excellent Business Guides volunteering their own time to help inspire them. I was very pleased to attend the launch and see the project in action. We are glad that we are able to provide six of our own staff members to share their expertise and look forward to seeing the
difference they can make over the coming months in helping the students to develop confidence for the future.”

Cllr Eileen Lintill, Cabinet Member for Communities at Chichester District Council said: “We think this a really worthwhile project which will make a real difference to students in our district. It has been great to see the range of talent, experience and knowledge we have amongst the volunteers who
have given up their time at the launch, and it will be exciting to see what a difference this scheme makes to our local community.”

Matt Tyman, Head of Pastoral Support from The Academy Selsey said “I’ve seen many initiatives in 20 years of teaching but I have never seen students grow as much as these students have in one day. Seeing students who find social environments hard stand up and talk in front of their peers from
their hearts has inspired me. Be the Change gets the most out of every student, no matter what barriers they put up by building confidence and self-reflection. Thank you for an amazing day.”