Over 1,000 young people in Adur and Worthing have now benefitted from mentoring with a host of local employers as part of the Dare to Dream programme.
Adur & Worthing Councils have been supporting Love Local Jobs Foundation's Dare to Dream programme for two years, enabling students at St Andrew's School in Worthing, Bohunt Worthing, Durrington High School and Shoreham Academy to push their boundaries, grow in confidence and reach their goals.
In total, 20 mentors from local employers Focus Group, Southern Water, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust and Carpenter Box have played a part in the delivery of the Dare to Dream programme by mentoring students who need an extra boost of confidence and support.
Delivered by local radio presenter Jack Hayes, the programme is made up of a number of activities including workshops, one-to-one mentoring and workplace visits.
With self-awareness, resilience, mindset, gratitude, teamwork and employability the central themes of the programme, the mentors have each played a vital role preparing the students for their future careers.
Cllr Kevin Boram, Adur's Cabinet Member for Communities and Wellbeing, said:
“We are proud to have supported the Dare to Dream programme for the last two years and grateful to the Love Local Jobs Foundation and all of the businesses that have volunteered their time to help young people in the area. It is so important that all children in Adur can learn about opportunities and have strong ambitions for the future.”
Cllr Rosey Whorlow, Worthing's Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, said:
“The Dare to Dream is a great example of partnership working, with schools and businesses coming together for the benefit of the local community. It's great to see that the scheme has helped so many young people reach their goals.”
Joanne Wood, Education Officer at Southern Water, said:
“Dare to Dream truly impacts young people's ability to see their own potential. As a large employer in the South East, we are proud to support this programme, work with the young people to enable them to grow and develop with positivity, and support schools in our region. We look forward to the next academic year, and working with more young people.”
Robin Evans, Partner at Carpenter Box, said:
“We're passionate about helping our local community in any way that we can. Leaving education to step into the working world can be daunting. Our team of nearly 200 comes from all walks of life. So, if there's a chance that we can have a positive impact by sharing some of our learnings along the way, we're more than happy to help.”