Hailsham Youth Service

SERVICE TO HOST SUSSEX YOUTH WORK CONFERENCE (03/02/25)

Hailsham Youth Service, in partnership with East Sussex Youth Services, is delighted to be hosting its first-ever youth work conference for anybody who works with young people in a youth work capacity to come together, network, share experiences and learn from each other.

Taking place at The Station Youth Centre on Saturday 1st March from 1.30pm to 8pm, the conference will bring together youth work practitioners from across East and West Sussex. The programme will feature a wide variety of workshops and speakers for the day.

The programme includes keynote speaker Kit Messenger, founder and CEO of Changing Chances CIC, who will be speaking 'The Empowerment Approach' for children to communicate and prepare for their needs to be met positively.

Kit Messenger is a former headteacher with over 30 years' experience working with children and young people. She is the co-author of 'Curious Not Furious' and the founder and CEO of Changing Chances, a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to shift the world away from traditional behaviourist approaches towards ones which are neuro-inclusive, providing training for professionals within schools, wider educational and care provision, youth justice, social care and health as well as courses for parents and carers.

Additionally, a representative from the East Sussex Exploitation team will be in attendance to talk about the positive impact partnership working can have for at-risk young people.

At the conference, there will be an opportunity for youth organisations to share their professional roles and run some workshop activities together from 6pm to 8pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring along any of their organisation's publicity material and business cards.

Entry is free and tickets are available via the Eventbrite website: https://esywc25.eventbrite.com

"The Sussex Youth Work Conference, the first of its kind to be organised and hosted by Hailsham Youth Service in partnership with East Sussex Youth Services, will provide paid and voluntary youth work practitioners from across our region with a valuable opportunity to benefit from keynote speeches and take part in a range of networking activities and workshops," said Deputy Youth Service Manager Joel Cottingham. "It's vital that we devote time and commitment into our youth work sector for the benefit of all of our young people in Hailsham and across Sussex."

"If you are a youth work practitioner or volunteer, we ask you to share information on the conference with others you know who work with young people in Sussex and register for this fantastic event. We look forward to seeing you there!"