Member Blog

We’re thrilled to announce that we are working with the team at Personal Trainer Collective (PT Collective) on their website and upcoming improvements and redesign. PT Collective are experienced in raining and up-skilling new and experienced personal trainers from across the spectrum.

With many years of experience and with many personal trainers already trained through the courses and expertise offered by the company, PT Collective are now in the process of improving, updating and promoting their website as well as some key offerings and courses such as their PT Core course.

As with all website, when it comes to search engine optimisation (SEO) there are some key aspects to consider and focus on at the various different stages of these projects. PT Collective is built on a specialised platform, tailored for e-learning and online courses, and so there are some unique, but exciting challenges.

What We Have Been Doing with PT Collective

The ultimate aim of our work with PT Collective is to ensure they are increasingly visible online, with increasing numbers of search terms to be found on Google. We are also of course working with the content and development teams at PT Collective to capture and focus on new and strongly relevant search terms to bring in new users and potential customers for their business.

‘Crawlability’ of Website – Websites can look as fantastic as you like, but without the right factors taken care of, no search engine; Google or otherwise will be able to ‘crawl’ [read and understand] what is on the website both in terms of content and everything else besides.

We are therefore working with the team at PT Collective to ensure the website’s source code (the code upon which the site is built) is packaged properly for Google to understand. We are also ensuring proper optimisation of key SEO factors like:

• Meta data
• Response codes
• Page titles

Key Focuses of the Business – Part of the work we are undertaking also centres around properly and effectively covering the focuses and core offerings of PT Collective as a business. Ultimately, even with the best website in the world, if your core and key offerings are not covered and properly accounted for, the website will never be properly able to provide customers and clients with the information they need.

Understanding the Competitive Landscape – Understanding what your competitors are doing and what is going on online in your industry and the space in which you work is a crucial task when undertaking any digital marketing. It also greatly helps understand what others who you may be competing with are doing and what you can do better. We are therefore working with PT Collective to better understand their industry and those they are competing with.

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in a school kitchen that caters for hundreds of pupils and staff every day? Joe Campen, Executive Head Chef at Langley School, spills the beans.

 Across Langley’s Prep site at Taverham Hall and Senior School site in Loddon, Joe’s team is made up of qualified chefs recruited from the catering industry, and together they provide for day pupils, boarders and staff, covering breakfast, lunch and dinner.

 When asked what kind of team they are, Joe said, “We are committed to upskilling our staff and, as a result, every chef across both our sites now holds catering qualifications. I see our role here at Langley as more than just feeding pupils – we are in the perfect position to educate them to make good choices and eat well for life.”

Joe really is passionate about encouraging pupils to eat a rainbow-coloured variety of food. He says, “It’s up to us to make sure they get as many of the vital vitamins, minerals and nutrients as possible, supporting their growth, learning and a healthy lifestyle. Our pupils are great at trying new dishes and getting involved in our monthly pupil-led themed days, including Chinese Street Food, Indian, Mexican, African, American, Spanish and Scottish themes.”

 The Catering team as a whole strives towards providing a healthy and balanced diet for pupils, and Joe tells us how they do that: “We spend more each week on fruit and vegetables than we do on meat, and we try to combine as many vegetables into our main dishes as possible. For example, we use more than 20kg of carrots, onions, tomatoes and garlic in our bolognaise sauce, we grate apples into our sausage roll mix, and our curries contain lots of pureed vegetables. We offer sugar-free options such as our Greek style yoghurt that we make on site and our homemade muesli. We have also reduced our sugar usage by 50% in all our homemade desserts.”

 We also asked Joe what’s popular at the moment. “We have seen vegetarian dishes growing in popularity – here at Langley we offer two vegetarian choices at each meal, including a vegan option. We also offer a selection of salads with different proteins (such as mackerel, egg, ham, tuna) freshly made daily in the compostable ‘window’ boxes, as well as having side salad bowls available at each meal, plus a vast selection of fruit. There is also the option of a filled baked potato for pupils.

 “I would say that our homemade curries are the most popular and we introduce a new one each term, so we have had them from all over the world. The Thai green curry made with fresh lemon grass, ginger and lots of fresh coriander is a favourite, and our Omani Thareed served with flat breads has an amazing depth of flavour. A firm favourite on Friday fish day is the ‘side of salmon with herb crust’.”

 “Going forward, I think we will see more Flexitarians, as people eat less meat for environmental reasons. I’m also sure, as more is known about the importance of diet on the gut microbiome, that we will have more take up of the fermented foods such as Kimchi and the live yoghurt that we serve. We have already increased the number of prebiotic foods in dishes we offer to promote good gut health.”

Founded in 1911, Langley School is set across two campuses, both a short distance from Norwich, Norfolk. A day school for ages 2 to 13 years old, Langley Prep School is based at Taverham Hall in Taverham. Langley Estate in Loddon, with grounds designed by Capability Brown, is home to Langley Senior School, where there is day and boarding provision for ages 10 to 18. www.langleyschool.co.uk

 Contact details

For more information, please contact Kim Cleave via email at [email protected]

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in a school kitchen that caters for hundreds of pupils and staff every day? Joe Campen, Executive Head Chef at Langley School, spills the beans.

 Across Langley’s Prep site at Taverham Hall and Senior School site in Loddon, Joe’s team is made up of qualified chefs recruited from the catering industry, and together they provide for day pupils, boarders and staff, covering breakfast, lunch and dinner.

 When asked what kind of team they are, Joe said, “We are committed to upskilling our staff and, as a result, every chef across both our sites now holds catering qualifications. I see our role here at Langley as more than just feeding pupils – we are in the perfect position to educate them to make good choices and eat well for life.”

Joe really is passionate about encouraging pupils to eat a rainbow-coloured variety of food. He says, “It’s up to us to make sure they get as many of the vital vitamins, minerals and nutrients as possible, supporting their growth, learning and a healthy lifestyle. Our pupils are great at trying new dishes and getting involved in our monthly pupil-led themed days, including Chinese Street Food, Indian, Mexican, African, American, Spanish and Scottish themes.”

 The Catering team as a whole strives towards providing a healthy and balanced diet for pupils, and Joe tells us how they do that: “We spend more each week on fruit and vegetables than we do on meat, and we try to combine as many vegetables into our main dishes as possible. For example, we use more than 20kg of carrots, onions, tomatoes and garlic in our bolognaise sauce, we grate apples into our sausage roll mix, and our curries contain lots of pureed vegetables. We offer sugar-free options such as our Greek style yoghurt that we make on site and our homemade muesli. We have also reduced our sugar usage by 50% in all our homemade desserts.”

 We also asked Joe what’s popular at the moment. “We have seen vegetarian dishes growing in popularity – here at Langley we offer two vegetarian choices at each meal, including a vegan option. We also offer a selection of salads with different proteins (such as mackerel, egg, ham, tuna) freshly made daily in the compostable ‘window’ boxes, as well as having side salad bowls available at each meal, plus a vast selection of fruit. There is also the option of a filled baked potato for pupils.

 “I would say that our homemade curries are the most popular and we introduce a new one each term, so we have had them from all over the world. The Thai green curry made with fresh lemon grass, ginger and lots of fresh coriander is a favourite, and our Omani Thareed served with flat breads has an amazing depth of flavour. A firm favourite on Friday fish day is the ‘side of salmon with herb crust’.”

 “Going forward, I think we will see more Flexitarians, as people eat less meat for environmental reasons. I’m also sure, as more is known about the importance of diet on the gut microbiome, that we will have more take up of the fermented foods such as Kimchi and the live yoghurt that we serve. We have already increased the number of prebiotic foods in dishes we offer to promote good gut health.”

Founded in 1911, Langley School is set across two campuses, both a short distance from Norwich, Norfolk. A day school for ages 2 to 13 years old, Langley Prep School is based at Taverham Hall in Taverham. Langley Estate in Loddon, with grounds designed by Capability Brown, is home to Langley Senior School, where there is day and boarding provision for ages 10 to 18. www.langleyschool.co.uk

 Contact details

For more information, please contact Kim Cleave via email at [email protected]

Making the decision to open a business is not one that is taken lightly. Some people spend years dreaming of this moment and even longer putting in the time and effort to achieve their dream. While some people know exactly what they want to do as a business from the word go, there are others who are somewhat unsure.  

Do you use any of your existing skills to create an entrepreneurial venture? Do you opt to learn new skills for the sole purpose of launching yourself into a sector associated with these skills? These are but some of the questions that you might find yourself asking when faced with the prospect of opening a company. 

With this in mind, there are some more generic skills that you should have under your belt when going forth with your business plans and setting a launch date. If you are in this position, you have found yourself in the right place at the right time.  

Detailed below are some of the skills you should have when setting yourself up as a business owner. Whether you are learning the skills for the first time or are looking for ways to refresh your existing ones, read on for more!  

Marketing and Advertising

This is a crucial element to opening a business. Naturally, you want as many people as possible to be aware of your presence, let alone what products or services you are offering. While it appears straightforward when considering how you market yourself and your business offerings to prospective customers, there is undoubtedly an art to it. It is much more than simply plastering your name on physical and virtual boards.  

Advertising your business itself is not the only thing you will need to do. Marketing yourself to prospective employees is another crucial element you will need to consider. What types of things would you want to see as someone who is looking for employment? Ensure you look at your efforts from the perspective of an outsider. This will contribute to the effectiveness of your advertising and make sure that you are as successful as possible.  

Marketing is an ongoing process; you will need to continue marketing your products to customers to not only draw them in but to keep them returning to your company. Take the time to hone these skills and consider taking some classes or courses to get these technical skills up to scratch.  

Analyzing and Comparing of Business Data

Comparing results is a massive part of being a devoted business owner. You constantly compare the results of each month, quarter, and year, to determine what is working within your business and what needs some improvement.  

Much like marketing your company, this can seem straightforward, but there is a lot more to the task than meets the naked eye. Business analytics places a vital role in the success of your business; without it, you would not be able to determine whether your business is thriving. Business data, and data as a whole, can be confusing to unravel, not to mention time-consuming. 

Analyzing business data is also crucial when launching your company. You will need to compare data associated with your chosen sector while scoping out growth opportunities. This is not a skill that ordinary people have and is hard to develop individually.  

Business analytics courses, provided by various organizations, enable you to achieve a business analytics certification while practicing and learning necessary skills associated with making effective business decisions. Whether you choose to attend a business short course yourself or fund another member of your company to attend, the choice is entirely yours. 

Having someone in your business with the knowledge on how best to manage business analysis and associated practices will encourage your success both now and in the future. Business data includes the likes of your finances, which leads us to the next point. 

Financial Literacy

Understanding finances is something that comes naturally to us, to a certain degree. We understand the importance of not spending more than you have and saving money as and where you can. While these valuable skills can be used in the business world, there are more intricate details surrounding finance that you should be aware of. Not to mention a handful of more specific skills alongside that.  

Financial growth is of utmost importance to any business. You cannot launch a business nor continue to grow without the funds to do so. Having an understanding of skills associated with financial management is an ideal way of having the financial literacy required to be a successful business.  

Crucial things to consider include the likes of knowing how to budget appropriately, as well as invoicing appropriate people, and filing your taxes correctly. Determining elements affecting your revenue is also worth knowing. Initially, this will be something that you will complete as a business owner, so ensure you learn the relevant skills as soon as possible. 

Following a period of growth and development as a company, you could hire someone a bit more experienced to manage this part of your business for you.  

Communication 

As a business owner, it goes without saying, but you need to effectively communicate things to those within your business and those outside of it. While some people might be effective communicators anyway, it is worth remembering that the way you communicate will be affected by and depend on various things.  

For example, the way you communicate with any partners within your company will vary drastically from how you speak with prospective and existing customers. Knowing how to tailor your message through the delivery and tone is a skill that you must have.  

Tailoring the ways you communicate based on who you are talking to is not the only thing you must consider when learning or refreshing your communication skills in the workplace. Something that most, if not all, business owners had to do throughout the last twelve months, was knowing how to communicate effectively based on the circumstance. 

With the business world relying heavily on technology to keep things moving throughout the pandemic, there is no doubt that many had to learn how to communicate through video and phone calls rather than in-person meetings and consultations effectively.  

In the technological age that we live in, this undoubtedly seems like something that should come naturally in a business context and beyond but is easier said than done. Taking the time to explain details in a thorough yet calm manner while upholding high levels of communication will minimize the chances of you hitting obstacles in the future, ones caused by miscommunication somewhere down the line.  

While these are a handful of the skills that you will need as a business owner launching a company in 2021, there are various others. Take the time to learn these often necessary skills to give yourself the best possible chance at success. Invest time, money, and effort into learning these things yourself while encouraging others within your business to do the same.  

The more people within your organization who understand how things work, the better. One thing is for sure; putting in the hard work now will ensure your launch goes without a hitch and that you continue to grow and prosper as you move forward!  

Our training suite has a wide range of courses available, and we would like to give you an insight into one of them each week.

This week the insight starts with a spotlight on our 3-day Novice forklift training.

Our RTITB/AITT Forklift Novice Course is designed for delegates with no forklift experience whatsoever and wish to attain an accredited certificate.  Operators who have no experience of operating the forklift truck and had no formal training and are wishing to gain the RTITB/AITT approved certificate.

The course provides delegates with the required skills and knowledge that are essential in the safe use and operation of Forklift driving.

The course covers:

• Introduction to the forklift
• Identification of truck parts
• Controls and instruments
• Starting, moving and stopping the truck
• Steering and driving, empty and loaded. Hydraulic system
• Weight assessment and stability

• Handling loaded and unloaded pallets.
• Driving on and off ramps
• Vehicle loading and unloading.
• Truck inspection and maintenance
• Operator’s safety code
• Testing to RTITB/AITT standards.

To book this course or any other course in our range, please call us on +44 (0)1508 578844 or email [email protected]

#shieldhealthandsafety #forklifttraining #training #RTITB #AITT #lovewhatwedo #workplacesafety #safetyfirst #healthandsafety #safetytraining #Team #meetinghealthandsafetyneeds #success

LV Shipping was founded in 1921 in Vlaardingen, The Netherlands, by the Lensveld family , under the name J Lensveld & Zonen BV. The company originally used a horse and cart to transport sand and cement in supporting the growing Dutch infrastructure sector at that time. Now in its 4th generation of family ownership, Vlaardingen remains the company’s global HQ.

The company grew rapidly in The Netherlands, developing expertise in the project logistics sector and started trading in the UK in 1986 after securing an energy project in the UK North Sea.

The company has grown massively since that time and now incorporates ten UK offices from Aberdeen to Felixstowe, along with just under 200 UK staff. LV is still very much involved in the energy sector and has provided shipping, transport and general logistics support for many of the UK’s major oil and gas related projects, along with involvement in more recent years with all phases of the UK wind farm and renewable energy sector.

The company’s continued involvement in the energy sector has in turn led to wider global development with LV offices being set up in strategic locations such as Houston (USA) , Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) , Baku (Azerbaijan) , Damman (Saudi Arabia) , and Singapore.

Now in 2021 and with the onset of Brexit the company is set to continue its growth as it provides the full logistics package to UK companies looking to export and import to and from the EU. The company’s purpose-built warehouse and fulfilment centre at Maasvlakte (Rotterdam) is already home to several UK companies who have decided to have a base in the EU for their distribution needs and, combined with LV’s own ferry-trailer and transport services, along with in-house customs clearance and fiscal representation capabilities, the company has positioned itself as a genuine “one-stop-shop” in terms of UK and EU logistics services in the post-Brexit trading environment.

LV Shipping was founded in 1921 in Vlaardingen, The Netherlands, by the Lensveld family , under the name J Lensveld & Zonen BV. The company originally used a horse and cart to transport sand and cement in supporting the growing Dutch infrastructure sector at that time. Now in its 4th generation of family ownership, Vlaardingen remains the company’s global HQ.

The company grew rapidly in The Netherlands, developing expertise in the project logistics sector and started trading in the UK in 1986 after securing an energy project in the UK North Sea.

The company has grown massively since that time and now incorporates ten UK offices from Aberdeen to Felixstowe, along with just under 200 UK staff. LV is still very much involved in the energy sector and has provided shipping, transport and general logistics support for many of the UK’s major oil and gas related projects, along with involvement in more recent years with all phases of the UK wind farm and renewable energy sector.

The company’s continued involvement in the energy sector has in turn led to wider global development with LV offices being set up in strategic locations such as Houston (USA) , Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) , Baku (Azerbaijan) , Damman (Saudi Arabia) , and Singapore.

Now in 2021 and with the onset of Brexit the company is set to continue its growth as it provides the full logistics package to UK companies looking to export and import to and from the EU. The company’s purpose-built warehouse and fulfilment centre at Maasvlakte (Rotterdam) is already home to several UK companies who have decided to have a base in the EU for their distribution needs and, combined with LV’s own ferry-trailer and transport services, along with in-house customs clearance and fiscal representation capabilities, the company has positioned itself as a genuine “one-stop-shop” in terms of UK and EU logistics services in the post-Brexit trading environment.

We are looking for a senior/head chef. The right candidate will enjoy straight shifts, 4 – 4.5 days a week and £33,000 + per annum in our gastro venue just North of Norwich. We are interviewing for this unique opportunity now so contact us today on 01603 897 787 or email direct at [email protected]

Key responsibilities

• Organisation and smooth running of the kitchen operation whilst on shift.
• Working with the other senior staff members with the day to day running of the kitchen.
• Assisting in ordering, gross profit management and labour efficiency.
• Ensuring all health and hygiene procedures are fully implemented.
• Working in all parts of the cooking line.
• Supervising and training staff.

Please view the full job description by downloading the PDF document below

We are thrilled to announce that our search engine optimisation (SEO) team is working with the superb team at Pulse Light Clinic. Offering a range of beauty treatments and procedures including laser hair removal (read more) and skin treatments, Pulse Light Clinic are very experienced practitioners in each service area on offer via their website.

We are working closely with their content, design and marketing teams to improve the overall online presence and positioning of Pulse Light Clinic.

Already performing well online, Pulse Light Clinic have a number of specific services we are working with them on to improve the positioning of in the medium to long term.

What We Are Doing

There are a number of actions and SEO practices we are undertaking with Pulse Light Clinic to help improve the performance and thus, the rankings and positioning of their website in both specific as well as more general areas.

Crawling and Understanding – A key tenet of SEO, ensuring a website of any nature can be crawled, read and understood by Google and other search engines is at the very heart of all good SEO work. Therefore, we are working with the marketing and development teams at Pulse Light Clinic to ensure the website is properly and effectively crawled, read and ranked by Google and other search engines like Bing, Yahoo and others.

Website Speed – All good and high performing websites will have well-optimised site speed. This refers not only to the literal time it takes for a page or pages to load, but also how pages load and how they load and ‘render’ on various different devices. Most websites will for example, perform better on desktop than mobile initially, due to how different device’s speed is optimised.

Content and Messaging – Pulse Light Clinic have already paid a lot of attention to how their brand and website is perceived both online and offline. Therefore, we are working closely with their team to ensure any additional SEO value is obtained when it comes to their content and messaging online.

Online PR – Another key element of SEO is the online PR of any business and company. With regards to Pulse Light Clinic, being as well-renowned in their industry as they are, we are working with them to obtain further positive PR, which will help to further both the brand and business as well as the overall SEO and online performance.

Technical SEO – Although very much something which is done on a case by case basis, it is always important that the foundational elements of all good websites with regards to their SEO is accounted for and well-optimised.

The Sainsbury Centre is delighted that their 2021 exhibition programme is now on sale. You can read about all their upcoming events in the new summer brochure, or see highlights below. Explore this hub of art, culture and great coffee right on your doorstep at the UEA campus.

Bill Brandt | Henry Moore 18 May – 22 August 2021 Tickets £13/£12 concessions

A major exhibition tracing the parallel and intersecting careers of Bill Brandt and Henry Moore. Bringing together almost 200 works including sculpture, photographs and drawings, the exhibition explores the interdisciplinary range of these two artists and how they both responded creatively to the turbulent times in which they lived.

Book here

Leiko Ikemura: Usagi in Wonderland 11 July – 12 December 2021 Tickets £8/£7 concessions

Japanese-Swiss artist, Leiko Ikemura, presents a selection of paintings, sculptures, drawings and photography in her first UK exhibition. Ikemura has chosen 50 works that span three decades of her career, exploring fragility, transience and slow evolutionary change through fantastical figures and primeval landscapes.

Book here

Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years 19 September 2021 – 30 January 2022 Tickets £12/£11 concessions

This much-anticipated exhibition has been moved to autumn 2021. Displaying the earliest works – pots, plates and sculptures – that first made Perry’s name, the exhibition will shine a light on his experimentation and exploration of the potential of pottery to address radical issues and human stories.

Book here

Rhythm and Geometry: Constructivist art in Britain since 1951 2 October 2021 – 30 January 2022 Tickets free but must be pre-booked Drawn from the Sainsbury Centre collection, this exhibition celebrates the abstract and constructed art made and exhibited in Britain since 1951. The exhibition includes work from the beginning of the 1950s to the present-day, comprising around 120 objects across sculpture, reliefs, mobiles, painting, drawing and printmaking.

Book here

Much is being said, and indeed broadcast about post-pandemic Mental Health (MH) issues, but the messages are mixed. As a result of the pandemic there has been a considerable rise in MH issues. According to The Health Foundation, worry about the future and feeling stressed or anxious are among the most common issues affecting wellbeing. Naturally, this has also led to an increase in MH concerns amongst the young people at our Alternative Provision (AP). As a ressult, we have had to increase the support we give.

The St Edmunds Society welfare team saw the number of interventions they conduct increase by 320% from Jan/Feb to Mar/Apr. Many of these interventions were providing support around MH and isolation for our young people. Social isolation, anxiety and depression were the key concerns coming out of sessions with students after lockdown.

A Young Minds study found that 67% of 13-25 year olds believed the pandemic will have negative effect on their MH long-term. Where the percentage of our students who had good coping strategies and positive MH was the majority, it is now the minority.

“I want these thoughts to stop. I don’t know how to cope with my problems, and I don’t feel like I have anyone to talk to.”

Student – St Edmunds Society   Mental Health Support in Mainstream Education

The government are investing heavily in MH services across the UK. Gavin Williamson announced more than £17 million in funding to improve Mental Health and wellbeing support in schools and colleges during May’s Mental Health Awareness week. This is to help the recovery from the pandemic and the funding will be used to train senior MH leads in schools. We recognise that this is extremely vital support for young people. However, it fails yet again to identify support for those young people who attend an AP, many of whom are at risk of, or suffer with MH. This government support will only partially tackle the MH crisis amongst young people nationally. It neglects to acknowledge those in AP, who are often placed there because MH prevented them from accessing or participating in mainstream education in the first place.

“The focus in a mainstream school is achieving academic qualifications. Students who are not able to engage in this style of learning are cast aside as inferior and they are left feeling outcast and isolated from their peers.

Many schools do not acknowledge intelligence in other forms, so those students internalise that feeling of being inferior. By the time students come to our AP, they have felt this way for a long time. Those feelings are hard-wired.”

Rio Bygrave, Welfare Support Manager at St Edmunds Society   Charity Support for Mental Health

As a charity, we rely heavily on charitable donations and grants to continue to offer our services. We have been turned down for fundraising applications time and time again as we do not ‘meet the criteria’. Recently, this was because the young people we work with do not have ‘severe Mental Health issues’. We do not believe this to be the case, as self-harm and suicidal thoughts are common amongst our students.

“Self-harm will often be a coping strategy that a young person has used for a long time and has become a comfort. With issues like this we support with external referrals. We offer the young person a lot of time and nurture. When a student reports having suicidal thoughts, we ensure they feel listened to, and show them that we are proactively seeking support for them. We are able to make them feel validated.”

Rio Bygrave, Welfare Support Manager at St Edmunds Society

Our welfare team are able to support students who reach out to them. They are often able to spot the signs of MH early. We look to provide support around prevention of a MH crisis, rather than a reactive approach. It is frustrating to be told that the MH issues we work with are not ‘severe’ enough for funding, when the work we do is to mitigate MH issues at an early stage and prevent these young people from reaching crisis point in the first place.

Furthermore, we have been turned down for funding as we are not providing open access to MH support for the community, as we are a school-based service. However, when it comes to government funding, we are not classed as a school and therefore not eligible for this funding either.

Currently, the waiting lists for counselling in Norfolk is 18 months or longer. During this wait, young people are feeling lost, helpless and let down by the system they rely on. Our welfare team support every young student with their wellbeing, but external support is only available for these young people when their needs are critical, and they are a risk to themselves. Whilst on the waiting list we often see young people desperate for help and their needs escalate due to not receiving the right level of treatment when it is necessary.

We desperately want to better support these young people at St Edmunds Society, instead of referring them to other agencies. As a universal service, supporting students with higher MH needs has become normal and regular, yet as a charity the funding and training to allow staff to do this effectively isn’t there.

  Mental Health in Alternative Provision

Sadly, it is an inescapable fact that many of our students originate from disadvantaged families, have poor educational attainment or are living in poverty. These Forgotten Children are usually marginalised, often vulnerable and can at times be exploited and coerced into criminal exploitation. Many see themselves as failures without any academic prowess and a disengagement with society through their lack of educational achievement.

 High levels of Mental Health in our Alternative Provision can originate from:

• Social Exclusion – these young people have not been in school long enough to form friendships. They are not able to form peer relationships due to low self-esteem or forming them online, so they feel isolated and are more vulnerable to exploitation and grooming.
• Feeling of Rejection – they are often made to feel rejected or not good enough at school, due to not achieving qualification.
• Toxic Masculinity Culture – young males are taught to ‘be a man’ and ‘don’t show weakness.’
• Young Carers – higher levels in Alternative Provision, often lead to knock on effects of social exclusion.
• Safeguarding Issues – higher levels create problems with students’ behaviour and poor coping strategies, leading to schools not being able to manage behaviour, which leads to poor MH.
• Perception of AP – students believe that by attending alternative education they are ‘stupid’ or go to ‘a naughty school’. These thoughts often lead to low self-esteem.
• Traumatic Experience in School – bullying/anxiety around being singled out as a ‘naughty child’. This can lead to anxiety around attending a school and pattern of avoidance.

Our staff spend a lot of time unpicking the safeguarding concerns that young people demonstrate in their behaviours. Each category of abuse comes with short-term and long-term effects. The ‘lost generation’ are currently growing up with these behaviours. As a result they are outcast as being ‘a problem child’. In a critical time where self-image and self-understanding are being distorted, this has a massive impact on their MH. 

“Lockdown was like pushing ‘a reset switch’ on the work I had done on improving my Mental Health and self-esteem.”

Student – St Edmunds Society

Sadly, hearing this in our AP is not uncommon. For those who were already struggling, lockdown unravelled their routine and made it hard to access the things they did pre-lockdown. Many have struggled to adapt from isolation back into a routine, back into crowds and being around their peers. The stresses around achieving vocational qualifications, despite long periods of working from home, out of a vocational environment have also had a massive impact.

Disadvantaged young people could be worst affected as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. The most important thing is to raise awareness for these young people and ensure no child is left behind. We have to change people’s mindsets and make them understand that every child matters. Addressing this issue is vital because nobody else provides for them. It will benefit the entire community to support these young people, both now and longer-term.

‘Levelling Up’ applies to all, especially those struggling in education and struggling to find their place in society.

  Help Us to Help Them

If you want to support these young people, you can make a donation to St Edmunds Society by visiting www.paypal.com/gb/fundraiser/charity/3223483.

Perhaps you would be able to donate some of your time? We always have volunteer opportunities available. Please Contact Us for more information.

Writing a good website design brief is the essential first step to creating a new website. Our “How to write a website design brief” article with a PDF template download is a great place to start.

https://www.bigfork.co.uk/blog/how-to-write-a-website-design-brief/