Building community connections in Suffolk
When Kids Inspire launched its Suffolk pilot in early 2024, we stepped into the region with a clear goal: to listen, connect, and build trust. Thanks to funding from the National Lottery, our Community Engagement team began working in Ipswich and surrounding areas, reaching children and young people with vital messages about emotional wellbeing and resilience.
This blog has been prepared by our Community Engagement team summarising the impact of their work in Suffolk so far.
In just over a year, we've connected with over 6,400 children, teachers, and school staff through assemblies, creative workshops, and community events. Whether it’s storytelling, LEGO-based activities, or community festivals, our focus has been on creating safe, engaging spaces where young people can learn to understand and manage their emotions.
LEGO-based activities
One primary school teacher shared:
“Several children have come to talk to me about their worries — inspired by your assembly.”
That kind of ripple effect is exactly what we hope for: not just a moment of learning, but the start of deeper conversations.
Building relationships that matter
Our work is rooted in partnership. Over the past year, we’ve developed relationships with more than 20 local schools and organisations — from Bury St Edmunds to Ipswich — tailoring our support to the unique needs of each community. We've collaborated with the Suffolk Children Young People Family Support Team and attended regional health expos (Can Do Health and Care Expo 2024) to share knowledge and widen our reach.
Workshops with young people in Suffolk
Our workshops have proven especially powerful in schools with refugee and newly arrived communities. In one Ipswich school, many children spoke little English and many had experienced trauma. But through hands-on LEGO activities and emotion-focused games, they were able to express feelings that words couldn’t reach.
These creative approaches are not just engaging — they’re essential. They help children feel seen, understood, and supported, often for the first time.
We received some welcome feedback from schools following some of our creative workshops:
“The workshops are child friendly and easy to follow. They encouraged lots of talks about feelings following the sessions.”
Expanding our impact
2025 has already brought exciting momentum. We’ve run workshops for Year 12 and 13 students at Thrivefest in Bury St Edmunds, hosted mental health assemblies and Year 6 workshops in schools across Ipswich, and supported peer-led sessions with secondary students. These experiences continue to inform and inspire our approach, showing us what’s working and where we can grow.
We’ve also launched PROM-unity, a community event inviting young people from nearby areas to select prom outfits and accessories free of charge — helping the environment and also ease financial pressures, ensuring everyone feels included in this milestone celebration. We encourage families from nearby Suffolk to join us if they can get to one of our sessions in Essex.
Looking ahead
Carla and Romany at a community event
The roots we’ve planted and connections we have built in Suffolk are strong, and the community is growing around them. In the year ahead, we aim to reach more schools, connect with new communities, and bring in additional volunteers to support our mission. We remain focused on areas with the greatest need — places where emotional wellbeing support can make the biggest difference.
At Kids Inspire, community engagement is about more than delivering services. It’s about building something that lasts — relationships, resilience, and real change. We're proud of what’s growing in Suffolk, and thanks to everyone we have met for their support along the way — we couldn’t do it without you.
PROM-Unity dresses!
Jane with a stand at Thrive Fest!