also in charge of where you’re going and
what you’re doing.” I’m looking forward to
doing more, and I have now got a group
of five kids that I’m helping at the Brighton
Aldridge Community Academy. A couple
have got some really difficult things going
on at home, but it’s just about showing
kids that there is hope, and that is what
Be the Change delivers.
Graham Marley, Chief Executive
of Let’s Do Business explains his
experience as a mentor at the
Hastings Be the Change Launch in
March:
“The day revolves around explaining to
the young people that it doesn’t matter
how or why they have got to where they
are in life, but there is an opportunity to
draw a line in the sand and move forward
(jump off the metaphorical cliff) to find a
better life.
From the moment he started Graham
the facilitator had the young people
fully engaged – and maintained that
throughout the day with a mixture of
stories, both personal and of prior
participants – who had taken the leap faith
in themselves to change their destinies.
The volunteer mentors supported small
exercises during the day and a number of
my group opened up – four of my five told
me they had anger management issues,
three of them had been kicked out of the
anger management class and others really
struggled with confidence! Yet all of them
were courteous to me and their team (they
didn’t know each other).
Student ‘N’ opened up after lunch and
explained her issues, which included losing
parents and carers, and soon a sibling. It is
no surprise that she has anger issues, she
has had so much to deal with. She thought
she was going nowhere and yet when we
talked about things she enthused about
her dancing, and when she did you could
see her confidence grow.
What a heart wrenching and heartwarming day.
Student ‘D’ was not backward at coming
forward; he had been excluded from
school and also had anger issues. Towards
the end of the day the young people do an
elevator pitch on themselves to their small
team – ‘D’ decided he wanted to be the
clown and acted all ‘gangsta’. To say I was
worried when he stood to do his pitch to
everyone was an understatement – if he
performed like he did in the small group it
would have mortified me (I’d have failed
as a mentor!), but he didn’t – he pitched
well and had clearly grown and developed
92
through the day.
I learnt a lot at Be the Change. Personally
the experience took me out of my comfort
zone – not keen on talking to groups and
find groups of young people intimidating
(despite having children of a similar age!).
I learnt that all of these young people have
potential – they are not born ‘bad’ but life
has dealt them a rubbish hand. What they
need is some positivity, and extra support
to break down the barriers they put up to
protect themselves – they all have it in them.
Hopefully the rest of the programme will
help these young people on their journey
– if they enter into the spirit of Be the
Change; they all have the potential to fly.
Schools can’t do this on their own, they
need help from outside so I would urge
any business person who reads this to get
involved and become a volunteer mentor.
It is our responsibility to shape tomorrow’s
workforce.”
Since launching the programme the Be
the Change team have been overwhelmed
with positive feedback from mentors,
businesses, schools and students. A
launch event was held at The Amex
Stadium on February 24th this year.
Comments from students after the Brighton Be the Change Launch:
“Be the Change has made me want to
be kinder to people on a daily basis.”
Year 9 Student, PACA
“I’m now going to be myself and not
what others want me to be. I’m myself
now and that’s what matters.”
Year 9 Student, Blatchington Mill
“This is an amazing confidence booster
and you make new friends from other
schools. It’s amazing!”
Year 9 Student, Blatchington Mill
“My behaviour will be more confident
from now on. All of the activities
helped me improve my skills and think
positively about my future. Cheers for
helping!”
Year 9 Student, BACA
“I would really recommend Be the
Change because it’s amazing. I learnt
that we are all perfect in our own way.’
Year 9 Student, Cardinal Newman
‘The event has changed my attitude to
learning and taught me to take chances
that I may only have once. I would
recommend Be the Change because it
has built my confidence.”
Year 9 Student, Cardinal Newman
“WOW!!!!! Yesterday was truly amazing.
Thank you so much for letting me
comes along to this most brilliant
event. Every student should have this
opportunity.”
“Thank you so much for letting me be
a part of today. It was phenomenal. I’ve
never seen such change occurring in
such a short time…”
Feedback from teachers and mentors
“A real eye opener, realistic and
pitched perfectly to the students.
Very emotional but in a sensitive way.”
Anne Morley, Career Mentor, Sir Robert
Woodard Academy
“An amazing event that encouraged
students to move out of their comfort
zones. Hugely emotional and engaging
from the beginning. The only shame
is that we cannot have ALL students
participating. BRILLIANT.”
Mark Monahan, Assistant Principal.
Sir Robert Woodard Academy
“Thank you so much for putting on
an inspirational, fulfilling and emotive
event. You have given hope to these
young people. We work hard to instil
these messages into young people but
the opportunity to remove them from
their normal environment has been
really positive. The young people have
learned to reflect, stand away from the
crowd and understand their self-worth.”
Siobhan McCurdy, Early help
Co-ordinator. Hove Park School
“An emotional rollercoaster, o
inspirational to the adults in the room
listening to students expressing their
emotions, hopes and aims. Every
school should have this experience;
I cannot speak more highly of the
programme launch. Thank you so
much for today.” Mark Seltzer, Cover
supervisor, Blatchington Mill
“What a day! Watching the young
people I work with gain so much
confidence as the day went on and
conduct themselves with such maturity
was an absolute pleasure. This day will
transform lives. Thanks for putting on
such an inspiring and engaging day.”
G. Shilladay, Head of year 9, Dorothy
Stringer School