The University of Sussex is committed to supporting our local community - and believes in the power of higher education to drive social mobility, which in turn promotes a diverse, inclusive University. We recently partnered with Brighton & Hove City Council and eight local schools on the first-ever Brighton and Hove Young Speakers Challenge, a project to raise literacy outcomes amongst 12-14-year-old learners by improving oracy confidence and communication skills. The project culminated in a celebration event hosted on campus on 2 April.

The Brighton and Hove Young Speakers Challenge encouraged nearly 100 students from eight schools across the city to develop their skills during a series of workshops and heats, with the aim of delivering a three-minute final speech at the celebration event.

Sussex welcomed over 200 guests to the event including local school staff, students, parents, University academics, Widening Participation staff, and Brighton & Hove City Council representatives. Professor Robin Banerjee, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global and Civic Engagement) welcomed the delegates, many of whom were students, parents and guardians experiencing their first visit to a university.

Throughout the initiative, the programme has been supported by University’s Widening Participation team and University academics. Associate Professor Tom Wright (School of Media, Arts and Humanities) provided continuing professional development for the staff in local schools supporting the project looking at the power of rhetoric. Dr. Verona Ni Drisceoil (Law, Politics, and Society) and Assistant Professor Chay Burt (Brighton and Sussex Medical School) worked with the Street Law team to promote advocacy skills amongst the learners during their visits to the Mooting Court Room in the School of Law, Politics and Sociology.

At the ceremony event, the overall winner on the day was Mohammad Hamam from Blatchington Mill School, whose performance was entitled, ‘My Heritage.’ Second place was Polina Hrom from Dorothy Stringer on ‘My experience of war’ and third place went to Poppy-Jay Huntingford from Longhill High School on ‘Individuality.’
Associate Professor Tom Wright presented Mohammad with the winner’s award, reflecting that the young people who took part in the initiative were picking up the oracy baton from the current generation and represent our future; in our universities and in our civic lives.