Twelfth Edition

A few words from our CEO, Caroline Ridley. 

I hope everyone has been enjoying the summer and the longer days.

It has been a busy few months at Impact Initiatives. Our annual staff conference brought over 70 colleagues together to share ideas and look ahead, and we are now building on those conversations as we develop our new organisational strategy, ensuring we continue to respond to the changing needs of people and communities across Sussex.
 
Sadly, we also said goodbye to our Parents Voice Advocacy service following the end of its funding. We are incredibly proud of the difference the team has made to families and grateful to everyone who has been part of its journey.
 
As the world around us continues to change, we remain focused on adapting, collaborating and finding opportunities to make a positive difference.
 
Thank you as always to our staff, volunteers, partners, funders and supporters who make our work possible. I hope you enjoy the latest news from across Impact Initiatives.

Children & Young People Round-Up

Head of CYP – Jennifer Tulloch
cHILDHOOD aNXIETY CONFERENCE

  • We were proud to host our first Childhood Anxiety Conference at the University of Sussex.
  • The event brought together practitioners, researchers, partners and young people to explore practical ways of supporting childhood anxiety.
  • We showcased our work in Protective Behaviours, early intervention and prevention, alongside a moving youth-created soundscape and video sharing children and young people’s lived experiences.
  • The positive feedback has been fantastic and we’re excited to build this into the first of a series of conferences.
STAFF CONFERENCE

  • It was wonderful to come together as one organisation, celebrate the impact we’re making, and strengthen connections across teams.
  • We’re excited to start bringing our new strategy to life and getting our teeth into what comes next.
Young people’s centre (YPC)
 
  • We’ve continued to make improvements to the Young People’s Centre, including transforming our former Learning Suite into a welcoming Sensory Learning Space.
  • Thanks to Common Ground funding, we’ve added new furniture and accessories to every room, creating even more welcoming spaces for young people.
  • We’ve also welcomed partners into the space as we continue developing the YPC as a collaborative hub for children and young people’s services.
LOOKING AHEAD…
 

  • We’re excited to continue strengthening our role as leaders in prevention, early intervention and supporting young people through key life transitions.

Adults & Older People Round-Up

Head of Adults & Older People – Maxine Thomas

Firstly, congratulations to Maxine, who has been appointed as Community Works’ representative for older people across the City which is fantastic news. 

Advocacy

  • We’re incredibly sad that the Parents Voice Service has sadly come to an end. This much-valued service has made a real difference to families. 
  • Brighton Autistic Movement (BAM) is now leading the Autism Partnership Board which is great news.
  • Our Lived Experience Training continues to grow, with recruitment underway for a new facilitator to support work in Hampshire, while demand for our training across Sussex continues to increase.
ageing well
  • Planning is well underway for this year’s Ageing Well Festival, which will feature more than 140 activities across more than 65 venues. A huge thank you to the Ageing Well team for all their hard work in bringing this fantastic event together.
  • Our Information, Help and Advice Team has delivered more outreach than ever before, with pop-up sessions continuing to expand across the city.
The Hop 50+
  • The Hop 50+ remains as busy as ever, with services adapted during the recent hot weather to help older people stay safe. 
Food Access
  • We’re reviewing our Food Access service alongside the new Community Resilience Fund across Brighton and Hove, while continuing to work closely with partners to ensure people experiencing food insecurity still receive the support they need.
Workability
  • We’re delighted that Workability has been confirmed for extension through to 2028 by West Sussex County Council.
  • This service continues to change lives. Jo Evans recently supported a young man living with a brain tumour and brain trauma who had previously worked at ASDA but wanted to achieve more. Through personalised support, he gained the confidence to look beyond what he thought was possible, telling us: “I’m so pleased this is expanding my horizons.”

housing ROUND-UP

HEAD OF housing – stevie graves
Stopover 
  • Stopover 12 is now open, providing an additional six units of supported accommodation. This exciting expansion will enable us to support even more people on their journey towards safe, stable housing and greater independence.
  • Planning is well underway for Stopover 13, in partnership with a new landlord. This marks another positive step in growing our accommodation offer and strengthening the support available to those who need it most.
  • We’re pleased to be partnering with Base One to provide out-of-hours on-call support across all Stopover projects. This enhanced service will ensure residents and staff have access to additional support whenever it’s needed, helping to create a safer and more responsive environment.
  • The Samaritans launched their new drop-in listening service on 18 June 2026, offering residents across all Stopover projects a safe, confidential space to talk. The service is a fantastic addition to the wellbeing support available, encouraging residents to seek help whenever they need someone to listen.
  • The new bathroom at Stopover 5 has now been completed, providing residents with improved facilities. Work has also begun on the bathroom at Stopover 4, continuing our commitment to maintaining welcoming, comfortable spaces for everyone who lives with us.
Home Safety 
  • The Home Safety team continues to support an increasing number of families by providing home safety assessments, practical advice and essential safety equipment. This ongoing work helps reduce risks in the home and gives families greater confidence in creating safer environments for their children.
  • Encouragingly, the latest data suggests a reduction in presentations at Children’s A&E for under-fives. While many factors contribute to this, it’s positive to see signs that preventative work and home safety initiatives are making a meaningful difference within our communities.

Legacy

    • We are delighted to offer our followers and supporters the option to make or update their will online via our Gifts in Wills page:  FREE of charge. 
    • Every will is checked by a fully qualified solicitor. 
    • Supporters who have a complex or high-value estate, or have any concerns around capacity should speak directly to a local solicitor. 
    • When using this service certain information is shared with us and (with consent) we can thank you for your support, you can also make a will completely confidentially. See our gifts in wills page for full details.

training

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