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Leicester students ‘Be the Change’ with Hastings Direct for a second year

Written by: Be the Change
Published on: 16 Nov 2016
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    Hastings Direct (‘Hastings’) in partnership with LoveLocalJobs.com and social enterprise, humanutopia, launched their second Be the Change programme with students from Brockington College, Market Bosworth High School, Rushey Mead Academy, Madani Schools Federation, Welland Park Academy, Lutterworth High School, Manor High School and The Roundhill Academy last week.

    100 students from the local schools and colleges came together at the Leicester Tigers to join representatives from Hastings Direct and the Be the Change Team, to be part of thought provoking and at times emotional, discussions on overcoming confidence and behavioural challenges in order to positively shape and mould the students’ future. Be the Change also aims to raise the aspirations of 13/14 years old students and looks to help them remove barriers that may make them disengaged at school and in life.

    Bringing their own experiences to the day by providing support and offering personal anecdotes to the students, 25 business volunteers from Hastings Direct began their journey as Be the Change mentors. Over the coming months, the business volunteers will meet the students to encourage further understanding on developing life skills to take forward into work life and will give anecdotal advice and guidance on the skills and attributes that may be desirable in the working world.

    Hastings Direct is currently the only corporate organisation sponsoring a full bespoke Be the Change programme in the UK.

    Jay Wootten, Events and Community Relations Manager, Hastings Direct said; “It was a delight to see so many Leicester students become immediately engaged with the 2016/17 Be the Change programme. I was humbled to see so many teenagers stand in front of their peers and step out of their comfort zone to examine the choices they are making and the choices they have. The students have certainly played their parts in tackling the issues that impact them in life and at school and this is great to see.  We are thrilled to be continuing the Be the Change programme in our local Leicester community”

    Speaking directly to the students throughout the launch day, Graham Moore, Co-Founder, humanutopia reflected; “Launching Be the Change to the local Leicester students was a huge success in so many ways. The young people were engaged from the first minute to the last and seemed to really enjoy the experience.   They took the invitation to stop and reflect on their lives and futures and genuinely seized the opportunity to consider what they can do to improve their own life chances. It honestly was a privilege and an honour to work with them and we are excited to see how much progress they make over the course of the programme. Full credit to the business volunteers from Hastings Direct who further enriched the experience of the students with their enthusiasm and genuine desire to help.”

    Rosanna Farrar, Head of Events and Be the Change, LoveLocalJobs.com said; “Seeing the impact of Be the Change on this year’s students was incredible. Looking around the room towards the end of the day, the students looked really happy and engaged and were enjoying the chance to consider their futures and realise that only they have the power to believe in themselves and make the positive changes needed in order to be successful and happy in life. We are delighted to be working with humanutopia and Hastings Direct to deliver such a powerful initiative.”


    For more information on Be the Change – visit http://about.lovelocaljobs.com/portfolio-item/be-the-change/

    Hastings Direct Press Officer: Natalie Sadlier | 01424 738225 | natalie.sadlier@hastingsdirect.com   

    About Hastings Direct: Hastings Direct is a fast growing, agile, digitally focused general insurance provider to the UK market, with 2.2 million customers and employing over 2,700 colleagues at sites in Bexhill, Leicester and Newmarket.

    We have built our business by championing the customer by providing refreshingly straightforward service and products and offer car, motorcycle, van and home insurance directly to the public.

    Hastings Direct is a trading name of Hastings Insurance Services Limited, the UK trading subsidiary of Hastings Group Holdings plc, which also trades via “People’s Choice” and “insurePink”.

    About LoveLocalJobs.com: Co-founders of Be the Change, LoveLocalJobs.com has an award winning family of regional job boards in Sussex and Surrey. It works proactively to link businesses, universities, colleges and schools, public sector, charities and community groups and other organisations to create and promote local employment opportunities in the South East, whilst also providing much needed careers, information, inspiration, advice and guidance to local businesses and job-seekers alike.

    About humanutopia: humanutopia is a social business that creates and runs inspirational courses in schools for students and staff.  Their courses are based on personal, social and workplace skills development, and improve the hope, confidence, happiness, relationships, and employability of participating students. Over the last 13 years Humanutopia have worked with over 250,000 young people, 200 schools, 25,000 adults and 20,000 heroes.