Mental Health Awareness Week and Student Mental Health

As a team who cares deeply about the lives of young people, this week we discussed #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek. We explored how we as a company contribute to improving student mental health through the positive effects of work experience and career guidance, and shared our personal experiences with mental health.

Struggling in traditional settings

Hollie knows that self esteem issues and lack of motivation can contribute to disengagement in classroom based learning. She highlights the profound impact work experience had on her journey, confirming her aspirations of working in education and inspiring other young people.

“Our Project 25 program helps struggling students build confidence, motivation, and self-esteem. It sets them back on the right path.”

Sam, drawing from his own mental health journey, urges us to revisit and enhance existing support mechanisms for struggling students. He encourages educators to rethink existing provisions, and expresses his pride in working on Project 25, which directly supports students facing similar challenges.

“I have seen first hand the positive impact it has on students that are really struggling to thrive in the academic setting just like I did.”

Scott recognises that the traditional academic setting may not suit all students. He emphasises the importance of providing quality work placements to engage students and promote a positive outlook on their futures.

“A more vocational approach might just be what these students need to feel engaged and give them a positive outlook on their opportunities moving forwards. All driving towards an improvement in mental health.”

Neurodivergent students and support

Careers advisor Cynthia offered insights on suitable careers for those with ADHD, such as teaching, computer technicians, chef, and sales/customer service roles, and the associated skills.

“ADHD is a form of neurodivergence that can feature inattentiveness, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Those of us with the condition who do not choose the correct type of career can definitely be affected by mental health concerns: feeling we are not achieving well in our work and study. However, if harnessed correctly, these behaviours can make people with ADHD ideal for some jobs.”

Luke challenges us to support students in raising aspirations and providing the necessary support systems. He encourages us to create environments where student mental health can flourish.

“As we adapt to the ‘new normal’ post-pandemic, and having seen first hand the effect this has had on young people’s mental health, I wanted to challenge us all, as we raise awareness for #mentalhealthawarnessweek, to consider how we can support young people to raise aspirations, improve their mental health and provide the ecosystems necessary for them thrive.”

Encouraging positive mindsets

Martin speaks with students in schools everyday, and their positive attitudes make such a difference to his own mindset.

“Talking with students today about #mentalhealthawareness, and how they struggled through Covid, but how they have come back stronger, with positive self belief. It is such a privilege to listen to these stories.”

Heather shares her commitment to helping young people challenge negative self-perceptions and find their paths with confidence. She stresses the importance of providing guidance early on to prevent the stress of uncertain futures.

“It means a lot to me that I can have an impact in helping young people challenge their own negative imagined ideas of themselves.”

Fostering a community

Matthew Hodgkinson, co-founder of our organisation, shares his personal outlook since the pandemic.

“I sit here years later in awe of The Changing Education Group. It’s a community of people who genuinely care about the lives of future generations.”

As we observe Mental Health Awareness Week, the stories we shared as a team remind us of the importance of promoting and actively engaging in helping students with their mental wellbeing. Let’s continue to empower students and the thousands of school staff across the UK who nurture young people’s aspirations.

Together, we can make a positive difference in the lives of young people, and create an environment where student mental health is prioritised.

We provide a full range of all-in-one Work Experience and Careers Advice packages for schools and colleges across the UK. With 12+ years of experience in Education and Technology, we give you the right tools and guidance to run the most effective work experience programmes for your students. If you’re interested in a discussion or a demo on any of these services, call or email our team:

Call: 08000289088 Email: info@changingeducation.co.uk

Introducing The Changing Education Team

Over the coming weeks, we will be adding ‘Meet the Team’ profiles for our staff so that we can get to know each other better and give you more insight into why we do what we do.

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There are five main reasons for this endeavour:

Meet the Team’ will enable you to see who you are interacting with and build better working relationships with your support team.

Our company is made of people, all with unique faces and personalities.

We want to give our people a platform to share their thoughts and passions and a place to celebrate their achievements.

To showcase the expertise of our team.

To give potential recruits a sense of our culture and values.

Ultimately, we want to do everything we can to support you, and there is value in putting names to faces and knowing who to speak to if you need anything.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@changingeducation.co.uk or 08000289088.

Foreword: What challenges are we addressing?

Our aim at Changing Education is to inspire future leaders; by giving students a real insight into the various industries and paths, they could follow and open their eyes and imagination to the potential and available job opportunities.
We help schools and colleges provide purposeful, planned, safe work experiences and broader career opportunities. We are passionate about work-based learning and understand the enormous leap many students struggle to make from the classroom to the workplace. We appreciate how difficult it is for a busy educator to find and oversee appropriate, safe, and meaningful work experiences for large cohorts of learners. We know that Gatsby, OFSTED, qualifications, logistics, risk management and, as importantly, employer engagement make work experience programmes enormously time-consuming and logistically complex. We have blended our two passions – education and technology – to build the answer:

We believe the following 4 principles must be in place to achieve success.
1. A robust delivery model
2. A web platform for educators.
3. A mobile app/portal platform enables learners.
4. A portal for employers to access work placement activity.

So, this business has been built on a straightforward principle: the more students can spend time in a work environment, the better. Not just for the experience it brings but also for the discipline it requires.

Providing so much experience for many students in this day and age isn’t easy. It means:
1. Networking with vast numbers of employers to provide opportunities.
2. Arranging the logistics is quite different for an in-person and virtual experience.
3. Ensuring that regulations and benchmarks are met, including Ofsted and Gatsby.
4. Knowing where everyone is at all times.
5. Recording and reporting on results and performance.

If you’re not a teacher, you’re probably beginning to understand quite what an undertaking this is, which is where the Changing Education team comes in. Changing Education is an Education Business Partner. And our business is taking the weight of all five steps off the shoulders of individuals within schools and colleges. We do it by combining our passion for:
1. Education in its broadest sense
2. Local communities and the importance of bringing young people into the workplace
3. ‘Technology’ and the enormous amount of time and hassle it can save
4. Innovation. We constantly look to do things differently and better.

The 2021 and 2022 academic year has undoubtedly been challenging. The landscape was still being determined regarding work-related learning and broader careers due to economic fallout and post-covid restrictions still operating in the UK industry. We, too, found it challenging; however, listening to our team, critically analysing our data, and evaluating our qualitative interactions with students, educators and employers, we are pleased to share our impact statement and highlight areas for improvement to ensure schools reintroduce work-experience as an integral part of the curriculum.

Read our complete impact statement here

We welcome Luke Whiting, CEO of the Yarway Group as a non-executive director

On behalf of the Changing Education board, we welcome Luke Whiting, CEO of the Yarway Group as a non-executive director. After qualifying as a Sport and Business Psychologist in 2013, Luke’s entrepreneurial endeavours led him to set up and work within a range of executive and NED roles within Ed-service, Healthtech and Edtech startups, scaling businesses through business strategy, product development, operational planning and fundraising, to valuations at over £20m. Luke provides a wealth of experience in business turnaround, mergers and acquisitions, business diversification and scalable business modelling. Luke joins The Changing Education Group at a fascinating time with growth experienced within the Ed Tech marketplace and the broader careers and work-related learning mandate in UK schools and colleges.
We look forward to working closely with him.

Matthew Hodgkinson – pledges to Inspire Future Leaders

Our aim at Changing Education is to #inspirefutureleaders; by giving students a real insight into the various industries and paths they could follow and to open their eyes and imagination to the potential job opportunities which are available.

We are continuing to showcase some fantastic individuals who have given us true insight into their profession and the journey they have taken to get to where they are today.

In today’s industry insight interview video, hosted by our very own Amos Madra, we hear from the inspiring Matthew Hodgkinson – Director and Co-founder at Changing Education Group.

Changing Education Group is at the forefront of work experience support for schools and colleges across the UK. Comprising two core businesses, Changing Education and CONNECT, they aim to keep their clients at the forefront of work experience excellence.

Matthew is a director and co-founder at Changing Education. He is a former business studies teacher who has previously worked in sales and marketing. Passionate about all things education, he regularly keeps up to date on everything from government policies to changes in the national curriculum.

Matthew believes “work experience is just as important – if not a little bit more important, than a qualification on a certificate” and that “qualifications get you through the door, but work experience will probably land you the job” – which are important things to digest when embarking on your work experience and highlights the importance of it with your future choices.

Matthew also advises that you should just keep “plugging away” and to “always ask for feedback” – wise words for us all to take away.

To find out more about Changing Education and all the brilliant Matthew and the work he does follow the link below:

Do not forget to share your thoughts using the #inspirefutureleaders.

Essential Skills Tracker

Skills Builder Partnership are launching the inaugural Essential Skills Tracker
The Skills Builder Partnership has launched its inaugural Essential Skills Tracker. The Tracker gives a vivid picture of how individuals build their essential skills across their lives, drawing on new research developed with YouGov.

The research shows for the first time at a national level that essential skills are associated with increased wellbeing, earnings, and a lower probability of being out of education or work, and are highly valued by the UK public. It also reveals, however, that these skills are not distributed equitably in the UK, and opportunities to build them are limited.

The research furthermore identifies a skills trap, wherein disadvantage and early lack of opportunity to build essential skills lead to lower skill levels, lower income, lower life satisfaction, and limited future opportunities to build these skills. The report suggests that to address these issues, the UK needs to scale the volume of high-quality opportunities to build essential skills in education, through impact interventions, and in employment.

To learn more and read the report, head over to skillbuilder/tracker-2022.

BBC Apprentice finalist Adam Corbally – Pledges to Inspire Future Leaders

Adam Corbally – Motivational speaker and BBC Apprentice finalist

Our aim at Changing Education is to #inspirefutureleaders; by giving students a real insight into the various industries and paths they could follow and to open their eyes and imagination to the potential job opportunities which are available.

We plan to showcase some fantastic individuals who have given us true insight into their profession and the journey they have taken to get to where they are today.

In today’s industry insight interview video, hosted by our very own Amos Madra, we hear from the brilliant Adam Corbally: Motivational Speaker and BBC Apprentice finalist.

Adam is an inspirational speaker in business and education and a member of the professional speakers association. Adam started speaking professionally back in 2012 after he reached the final in season 8 of the hit T.V. show “The Apprentice”. Adam’s keynote presentation focuses on his story, how he left home and school at 16 with no qualifications a truly inspiring tale.

Adam believes you should keep putting yourself out there creating as many opportunities as you can and asking for help is very important advice for us all to take on board.

Adam has some fantastic advice and tips to share and a lot of important information to take away.

To find out more about the inspiring Adam Corbally follow the links below:

Please remember to share your thoughts using the #inspirefutureleaders.

Chloe Bowker – pledges to Inspire Future Leaders

Our aim at Changing Education is to #inspirefutureleaders; by giving students a real insight into the various industries and paths they could follow and to open their eyes and imagination to the potential job opportunities which are available.

We are continuing to use 2021 as an opportunity to showcase some fantastic individuals who have given us a true insight into their profession and the journey they have taken to get to where they are today.

In today’s industry insight interview video, hosted by our very own Amos Madra, we hear from the inspirational Chloe Bowker – the lead on the dementia unit at St Catherine’s Care Home part of the Community Integrated Care Group. Chloe is joined by Audrey, one of the residents at St Catherine’s Care Home.

With Community Integrated Care being one of the original pioneers of the Care in the Community agenda and growing to become one of Britain’s most innovative and successful care providers, their history not only marks an ongoing milestone for their charity but also for the social care sector.

Chloe has been a registered nurse for 8 years, she studied at Keele University training in Learning Disability Nursing. She qualified in 2011 and got her first job as a registered nurse. Since University she has worked in numerous roles and supported various individuals with lots of different health needs including; learning disabilities, people who have suffered brain injuries, mental health and people who are living with dementia – which is the current client group she supports at St Catherine’s Care Home.

Chloe gives us a real insight into working within the care sector and her passion for her career really shines through.

Chloe explains “stressful days happen, but with a good team behind you it makes it easier” and advices “if it is a career you want to go into I recommend you do as it’s so rewarding and teaches you something new every day”. Important advice for anyone wanting to start their career in healthcare.

To find out more about the truly fantastic Chloe and the job she does follow the links below:

Do not forget to share your thoughts using the #inspirefutureleaders.

https://www.communityintegratedcare.co.uk/

CONNECT Newsletter 14.01.2022

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View this email in your browser Greetings from the CONNECT Team, we hope you have had a productive week.  This week is all about: CONNECT Development“What’s New?” New User Guide Section.  Educational Technology Insights  We’ve been listed as one of the Top five Ed Tech Organisations in the U.K Changing Education Podcast S2. Episode 1 – Work Experience! CONNECT Refresher Webinar –  missed this week’s webinars? CONNECT® “Bitesize CPD Session” – Web & Mobile App Refresher CONNECT Education & Training CONNECT® “Health Check”. Don’t forget to access our Website, Linkedin page, and YouTube channel for all the up-to-date content and resources.  CONNECT Development! “Whats new this week?” User Guide Section. We have incorporated all our CONNECT Web and Mobile App education and training video resources into the knowledge base within your CONNECT navigation panel. The user guide section has been separated into key functionality sections to make it easy for staff to locate the user guides specific to their role or need (Screenshot below).  Access the Full Article Here Work Experience – Season 2 Episode 1 – January 12th, 2022 Do you remember your work experience job? In this first episode of the season, 2 Company Directors and Co-Founder Matthew Hodgkinson and Stephen Hackney discuss all things work experience and the value employers bring to young people through work experience opportunities. this link is to listen to the podcast. Want to hear more from our directors? click this link to enter our company podcast library.   CONNECT Bite-Size CPD Session CONNECT Health Check! “How are you getting on?” Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? We are struggling to implement our work placement and careers programmes post covid-19?  Our employer engagement strategy is difficult to track?  We don’t advertise placement opportunities to students?  Our Health & Safety Risk Management is taking too much time?  It’s difficult to implement student self-assessment?  We struggle to track all placement attendance?  We struggle to manage & track employer appraisals?  We struggle to manage & track student feedback?  We are still using spreadsheets for reporting?  It’s difficult to log careers and work-related learning activities?  I don’t understand all the functionality available to us to manage our programmes?  As a Changing Education CONNECT client your answers should have been disagree, if you answered agree, fear not we are here to help! We will be offering all our clients a Health Check Consultancy Session which you can be used to ensure: CONNECT has been implemented correctly. Staff fully understand all functionality available to them to complete their role effectively. As part of an external quality assurance audit to ensure your programmes are high quality and compliant with Ofsted / Gatsby Agenda. Sign your team up below. Sign up here

Changing Education: Empowering Educators With Digitalised Work Experience Programmes

Our technology is not only aligned with the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) guidelines but also takes into account the nuanced requirements of educators as well as the students

Amongst the many milestones of life, the transition from educators to the workplace is definitely the most memorable and probably the most nerve-racking. Lost in the complex procedures of applying for work-based learning programmes, it is quite common for students to feel overwhelmed. Which workplace is best suited for my skillset? How will I know which employer to pick? What are my career options? Such queries can trouble even the most diligent and prepared students, making the education-to-workplace transition challenging.

While educational institutions have been trying to eliminate these uncertainties and clear the educational-to-workplace path for students, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a new challenge to the fore. Even when students get placed in the work-based learning programmes, they are unable to attend the programmes onsite owing to the pandemic safety restrictions.

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As both educators and students seek an end-to-end solution that can solve their most pressing challenges, Changing Education—a revolutionary UK-based edtech company—comes to their rescue. By leveraging its cutting-edge platforms, Changing Education is not only digitalising and simplifying the work experience application process for students and employers alike but also facilitating a virtual medium for students to attend work experience programmes from their homes.

The company complements the national curriculum and student support programmes of schools and colleges with seamless technology, thus guiding the students through a far more effective path of starting their dream careers. “Our technology is not only aligned with the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) guidelines but also takes into account the nuanced requirements of educators as well as the students when mapping and managing their journey from the learning process to the first stages of their employment,” says Stephen Hackney, co-founder and director, Changing Education.