Community Engagement

Community Engagement in the work of Kids Inspire

Who Are We?

The Community Engagement team at Kids Inspire is dedicated to supporting children, young people and their families in local communities, building relationships, and raising awareness of our services. Our team includes:

Carla – Community Engagement Manager
Jane – Community Engagement Officer
Romany – Community Engagement Assistant

What Is Community Engagement?

Community Engagement is about involvement and active participation in initiatives that promote the welfare of the community. At Kids Inspire, we focus on:

Improving resilience in local communities
Raising awareness of Kids Inspire and our services
Supporting young people and their families through our work

What Do We Do?

Our Community Engagement work covers:

Relationship Building with Schools: Collaborating with local schools to support students through assemblies, workshops, and more.
Community Events & Partnerships: Engaging with local communities through events and partnerships.
The Voice Youth Group: Empowering young people to grow in confidence, develop social skills, and make new friends in a safe, supportive environment.

Community Events

The Community Engagement Team identifies areas where children and young people (CYP) need support and partners with local organizations to deliver events that benefit the community. We focus on:

Raising awareness of Kids Inspire services
Delivering free wellbeing events for families
Partnership working with community groups to identify gaps and needs for young people

Our Approach

We follow an asset-based approach, focusing on what’s strong within communities. Our collaborative mindset helps us work effectively with others to extend our reach and impact.

Where We Work

Our current focus is on targeted communities in Essex (Chelmsford, Colchester, and rural Braintree) and expansion into Ipswich in Suffolk, particularly through school engagement and community outreach.

Book a school assembly/workshop

Volunteer

Events & News

Young people in Essex

We know that the sense of isolation is of concern in Essex, and that loneliness can be a problem for young people. Kids Inspire is reducing isolation and loneliness amongst young people and adults by facilitating the development of confident and connected communities.

We aim to build networks made up of people (young and old) who are interested in different forms of creative expression, physical activity and building new relationships.

Past events

Youth Voice Day - 12th October 2024

Our Community Engagement team, along with Voice Champion Gwen, attended Youth Voice Day at Anglia Ruskin in Chelmsford, where they led a workshop on mental health and early intervention in Essex. Young people shared their concerns and ideas, which were later presented to Essex leaders.

Prom-unity - 6th April 2024

Our free prom dress giveaway was a huge success, we were able to give away over 50 prom dresses to young people ready for their special day.

Check back in January to find out more about how you can be involved in Promunity 2025!

Events - what’s coming up?

Watch this space for upcoming events!

Latest news

Holiday Clubs - Circus Skills, Tea Parties and more!

A summer of fun - Holiday Clubs for children in Essex.

School Assemblies and Workshops

Our assemblies and workshops focus on spreading awareness about what we do at Kids Inspire. They also provide opportunities to have meaningful conversations with young people about their mental health.

Enquire here about booking

Please note when booking that we will not be able to deliver any assemblies or workshops w/c 2nd, 9th and 16th December as the Community Engagement Team will be supporting the 2024 Kids Inspire Christmas Appeal

Years 1 to 5: A Twenty-minute interactive assembly to learn about Kids Inspire and ways to manage small worries. (If you would like this to be delivered to a whole school, please get in touch!)

Year 6: A fun one-hour interactive workshop using discussion and Lego to explore resilience and empowerment. Please note that we can only accommodate up to 30 pupils per workshop (max 2 workshops). We will not be able to accommodate more than this. Due to capacity and for effective delivery, we can also only accommodate up to 2 assemblies on the same day.

Bookings are currently available from January 2025 to primary schools in Braintree and Colchester Local Authority areas on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only.

We are also offering these to Ipswich schools in Suffolk, these are available to book on Fridays only.

Secondary schools: We are currently exploring ways we can support Year 8s in particular and we will update this page in due course.

Or if you would like anymore information please email: Communityengagement@kidsinspire.org.uk

Booking information and Terms and Conditions for schools.

This role might suit those looking to train as /or having retired from being a teacher, youth worker, or other professional supporting children and young people.
Current Locations:
Braintree Local Authority areas
Colchester Local Authority areas
Ipswich and surrounding areas
Role Summary
To support Kids Inspire staff to deliver interactive Introduction to Mental Health assemblies and Year 6 workshops in primary schools across Braintree, Colchester and Ipswich Local Authorly areas with an overall aim to provide young people with empowerment and resilience tools to support their mental health.
Time Commitment:
To be available to volunteer in school hours during term time at least 4 hours per half term
Main Tasks
•To support the Community Engagement team with preparation and facilitation of assemblies and workshops, to enable them to run smoothly and to time.
•To feel confident to raise any safeguarding concerns if required (safeguarding training will be delivered before you commence the role)
•To act as an ambassador for Kids Inspire at all times
We are looking for people who are:
•aged 18 and over
•Passionate about raising awareness of looking after our mental health
•Well-organised, reliable and punctual.
•Flexible in their approach when supporting young people
•Friendly and outgoing.
•Able to act appropriately and in-line with safeguarding protocols.
We can offer you:
•Relevant training for the role
•Regular support from our Community Engagement Team and Volunteer Manager
•Regular opportunities to meet with the wider Kids Inspire Team at events
Additional Information
•We will require two references and an enhanced DBS check.
•You will be required to undertake online safeguarding training.
•You will be required to adhere to Kids Inspire’s current policies and procedures.
Please email to apply for this unique role.
This role will suit those who are passionate about making a difference to children and young people’s mental health in their own community.
Locations*: (Basildon, Braintree, Canvey Island, Chelmsford, Colchester, Harlow, Tendring and Ipswich, Suffolk)
* Targeted priority areas identified within these Local Authority areas.
August 2024 - Please note that the Community Engagement Team are specifically looking for Community Champion volunteers to support them in Braintree, Colchester and Ipswich Local Authority areas
Community Champion Volunteer: Role Summary
To volunteer in your local community in Basildon, Braintree, Canvey Island, Chelmsford, Colchester, Harlow, Tendring and Ipswich, Suffolk to support the overall aim of Kids Inspire to have a positive impact on children and young people’s mental health.
Commitment: 2-4 hours per month minimum
Main Tasks
•To support the Community Engagement team with ideas for Kids Inspire led events and projects for Children and Young People in your local community
•To support the Community Engagement team to deliver projects and events in your local community.
•To use your local community knowledge to raise awareness of Kids Inspire and inform the Community Engagement team if any opportunities to engage or fundraise with relevant organisations become available.
•To act as an ambassador for Kids Inspire at all times
We are looking for people who are:
•Looking to make a real difference to children and young people in their local community
•Aged 18 and over
•Passionate about the mental health of children and young people in the Kids Inspire community and your own community
•Well-organised, reliable and punctual
•Friendly and outgoing
•Able to act appropriately and in-line with safeguarding protocols
We can offer you:
•Relevant training for the role
•Regular support from our Community Engagement Team and Volunteer Manager
•Regular opportunities to meet with the wider Kids Inspire Team at events
•Invites to supporter and volunteer drop in events
Additional Information
•We will require two references
•You will be required to undertake online safeguarding training
•You will be required to adhere to Kids Inspire’s current policies and procedures.
Please email to apply fo this unique role.

Community Engagement Volunteers

Make stronger connections, learn new skills and organise exciting events. Training to be a Community Engagement Volunteer will help to bridge the gap for support in your local area.

A Community Engagement volunteer can nurture, build, sustain and grow relationships between people, bringing them together for the benefit of children and young people. We are looking for new volunteers now.

What do we mean by ‘community’?

Community includes the relationships, bonds, identities, and interests that join people together and give them a shared stake in a place, service or culture.

Communities take many different forms, but all are made up of people who have something in common, such as living in the same area, or having common experiences, such as being supporters of the same football club

Underpinning good health

Public Health England says that community life and social connections underpin good health. Social networks are the very building blocks of wellbeing.