Alumni news

James Hews

Supported by generous donations to the Sussex Fund, the Sussex Writes project is an initiative that brings together university students and local school pupils in a shared journey of creativity, learning, and growth. Through engaging creative writing workshops, Sussex students mentor and inspire young people - particularly those facing disadvantage - helping them discover the joy of storytelling and to find the confidence to express themselves.

These workshops do more than improve literacy, however. They foster critical thinking, emotional resilience, and prosocial behaviours in pupils who may otherwise struggle to find their voice. Each year, thanks to the generosity of donors to the Sussex Fund, around 500 young people benefit from this transformative experience.

But the impact doesn’t stop there. Sussex students who take part in the scheme gain invaluable skills in leadership, communication, and empathy. Many describe the experience as life-changing - deepening their understanding of social inequality and strengthening their commitment to making a difference.

James Hews is currently in the third year of his English BA. He has been involved with the Sussex Writes initiative since he arrived at Sussex. He says:

“I was raised in the South-East London borough of Bromley. I am not the first in my family to go to university, though to study English is a rarity. My parents, grandparents and my brother all have accountancy backgrounds. The exception was my aunt, who, with an English Literature degree herself, reframed the humanities as a plausible option for me. I decided to come to Sussex because I thought that learning would be more unique here than anywhere else, and the English department is exceptional.

“I heard about Sussex Writes during my first week at university. Initially, I joined the scheme as a tutor, working primarily with the Higher Project Qualification (HPQ) team. In my second year, I became Director of Teaching and Learning. This role has expanded over time and I now help with workshop planning and ensure that groups have the required resources to run the sessions. I also help coordinate the social media and website team, and act as an intermediary for our Director, Dr Emma Newport, Senior Lecturer in English Literature.

“Two years in a row, I’ve worked with Blatchington Mill School’s Year 10s on their HPQ projects (an independent research venture of 2,000 words on a topic of their choice). These sessions require concise, entertaining and supportive exercises that enhance research skills, time-management, and give pupils confidence in public speaking. It is the only work we are involved with that teachers mark.

“In my first year at Blatchington Mill, I helped a 14-year-old student with a project they were working on. They were shy and untalkative, but incredibly self-motivated. A year later, whilst teaching another HPQ group, a student arrived to address the class. I suddenly realised it was the same person I’d helped, now speaking before their peers, teachers and several Sussex Writes tutors. For me, that moment was recognition that, within a year, this person had flourished. I am honoured to have played a part in that transformation.

“I’ve also run creative writing workshops known as Messy Pages at Oriel High School, and I’ve worked with the Junior Creative Writing Club at Dorothy Stringer School. These sessions involved exploring poetry, storytelling, descriptive writing, character creation and drawing. The ultimate objective is to give pupils a 20-minute free-flow of creating. Students dedicate their thoughts to a literary and visual application of their own design which, at the session’s close, they share with others, free from judgement, bias or criticism.

“When I tell people that I’m teaching, it feels an inadequate term for the model of learning at Sussex Writes. Though teaching is crucial to our future, it suggests a passive activity of one-sided instruction. It does not adequately convey the joint-endeavour of creative writing: the interplay of inspiration between us and the students, the gradual transition from shyness to confidence, and the sense of collective imagination.

“Students who attend our workshops come from various socio-economic backgrounds; many have mental health issues or have difficult home lives. Our sessions become a place of calm for them. Their work is not marked but it is shared, and their creative output is not measured by quality but by the individual’s willingness to inspire and be inspired.

“School children live in a society in which expressiveness is increasingly monetised, hijacked by AI and regulated by the influences of social media. Having a space to think and articulate oneself is an ever more narrowing privilege. Sussex Writes gives students the tools to navigate their own thoughts, think through their emotions, check their own and others’ biases, guard against suggestive rhetoric and realise their own importance.

“Sussex Writes has impacted me personally too, and I have formed lasting friendships with my co-workers as well as meeting lots of new people. What is more, Sussex Writes helps me support myself financially, covering the cost of my weekly groceries. Plus, the work experience that I’ve gained so far led to a paid internship at United Teaching over the Summer. In a competitive landscape, Sussex Writes will give me a much valued onward push in my career.”

By supporting Sussex Writes through the Sussex Fund, you’re investing in a future where education uplifts, creativity connects, and young people - both in schools and at university - can flourish.

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