Students and staff took part in discussions to identify the most significant issues facing communities in Brighton and Hove.

Students and staff attended community listening events this week as part of a campaign led by the recently founded Brighton and Hove Citizens. 

Brighton and Hove Citizens is part of Citizens UK, a national organisation which empowers local communities to tackle issues through community organising. Citizens UK works with a diverse group including schools, universities, hospitals, mosques, churches, synagogues, charities and other community groups.

The University is one of the founding members of Brighton and Hove Citizens, along with a number of other local organisations.

Helping to establish the Brighton Chapter of Citizens UK is one of the aims of Engage for Change, part of the University’s strategic framework Sussex 2025.

Brighton and Hove Citizens have hosted a number of informal discussions events across the city, including the two events that took place this week on the University campus. These events are part of a listening campaign which seeks to identify some of the key issues facing communities in Brighton and Hove.

Member organisations of Brighton and Hove Citizens, including representatives from the University, will meet on 2 April at Brighton’s Progressive Synagogue. This meeting will decide which issues identified during the listening campaign will be taken forward by the group.

An assembly meeting will then take place on 29 April at BHASVIC College, before the local elections on 2 May. Community organisers will use this opportunity to ask local councillors seeking election about the key issues identified during the listening campaign.

If you were unable to attend the events on campus but would still like to contribute to the listening campaign, you can email Frida Gustafsson (Community Organiser for Brighton and Hove Citizens) on fridagesson@gmail.com.

All staff and students are invited to attend the Brighton and Hove Citizens meeting at 6.30pm on Tuesday 2 April at Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue. The assembly will take place at Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College (BHASVIC) on Monday 29 April at 6.30pm.