Hastings Direct Supports be the Change

Be the Change has been a key part of Hastings Direct’s community programme for over three years. Supporting Year 9 students from Bexhill Academy in Bexhill-on-Sea (Hastings Direct’s Head Office) and Welland Park Academy in Leicester (the company’s second site with over 1,400 colleagues), Be the Change gives colleagues the opportunity to make a difference to the education and career paths of young people.

Since sponsoring Be the Change, in partnership with LoveLocalJobs.com in 2015, over 940 Hastings Direct colleagues have been business volunteers; mentoring and guiding the students with anecdotal support and advice, with many continuing to volunteer year after year.

Bexhill colleague Anna Cruttenden hopes to make a difference as a business volunteer on this inspirational programme. She said: “Being part of Be the Change is important to me because I want to support and help build positivity in the lives of these young adults. I want to learn and listen about any hardships or worries that they are currently facing, and help to build an uplifting, positive structure of how to relieve some of that pressure.”

Leicester colleague Joe Monksfield explains the personal impact Be the Change has had on him and why he supports the programme: “Having left school with no qualifications I am proud of the career I have built. By sharing my story with the students I hope to make an impact with some of the students and open their eyes to the opportunities they could pursue. Be the Change not only inspires students, it also gives our colleagues the chance to make a difference and share their stories and experiences.”

As well as the sessions with the students within a conference setting, the young people also visit Hastings Direct’s offices as part of the course, to gain hands-on experience of the workplace and further understand the experiences and skills needed to be successful in their career and life.