Big Change is happening

Holly Branson speaking to her cousin Noah at a Big Change event
Image from Big Change
Holly Branson
Holly Branson's writing
Published on 19 November 2019

I'm full of inspiration after spending an evening with our Big Change community to introduce our incredible new project partners and launch our latest impact report – Change is Happening.

The Big Change project partners
Image from Big Change

The night was filled with stories from our partners and thought-provoking discussions about how we can continue to redefine what success means for our young people in the future and create a more fair and effective education system.

I was particularly moved by the words of 17-year-old Jaiden Corfield (such an inspiration!) who talked passionately about our project partners at RECLAIM - a youth leadership and social change organisation that creates campaigns to amplify the voices of disadvantaged young people and prepare them for leadership roles. Jaiden spoke openly and honestly about his tough upbringing in Manchester and how RECLAIM helped him to find his voice, realise his worth and become a social activist:

“The world seems to swallow you up and you need to be reminded why you’re here and that you are worthy.”

Holly on stage with her cousin Noah at a Big Change event
Image from Big Change

As I read through the impact report, I was heartened by the progress being made across our three key focus areas: increasing agency to put young people in the driving seat of change; expanding opportunity so students from all backgrounds are given an equal chance to thrive; and involving all areas of society in education.

Through the work of our nine project partners, Big Change has reached over 700,000 young people; 66,000 teachers and adults; and nearly 600 communities around the world. I know I can speak on behalf of my fellow Big Change founders, when I say how proud we are of the Big Change team. Their drive and dedication (mirrored by our project partners) is bringing about wide scale, positive change for all young people in the UK.

Colourful report from the Big Change
Image from Big Change

While these numbers are impressive, it’s when you hear the human stories from people like Jaiden, that the impact really hits home. Another wonderful story from one of our project partners came from Jeremy Pentreath who works with Voice 21 to create oracy and early language development programmes.

Jeremy recounted how a six-year-old student of the programme recently stood up during an assembly of over 400 students - unprompted - and spoke about the importance of world peace. Given that an underprivileged child will have heard 30 million less words than their peers by the age of three, it’s so encouraging to hear how these programmes are literally helping kids find their voices.

The 2019 Big Change Impact Event.
Image from Big Change

Every time the Big Change community gathers together the overwhelming feeling is one of hope and steely determination to bring about positive change.  It has never been more important to keep fighting to create an education system that sets kids up to thrive in life, not just exams. As my friend, Karl Lokko, summed up beautifully at the end of the evening: “It’s going to take every single child’s potential, so every single child is essential.”

To find out more about the change that is happening, read the full report here.