Read our latest news and blogs
After five years of dedicated service to our community by empowering young people who are at risk of school exclusion, we have made the difficult decision to shut our doors due to a significant shift in the landscape of the not-for-profit sector. The competition for funding and resources has become Read more…
In a previous blog, we recounted the story of the young man who found himself placed under arrest because he “looked dodgy”. Having had a few discussions with others about the blog quite a few of the people that we spoke to commented that they too were aware of similar Read more…
School exclusion can have a detrimental effect on young people, their family and even their former school. In this blog, the effects of school exclusion on young people and the consequences on their mental health and education will be discussed. We believe that preventing school exclusion is better for young Read more…
It’s human nature to make assumptions based on our senses. We assume that people are exactly what they appear – we make snap judgements based on how they look. On the other hand, appearances can be deceptive and assumptions can be wrong. When I was working on a project in Read more…
The London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has committed to providing 2 million pounds towards significantly reducing exclusion rates in London schools. Why are exclusions becoming a ‘habit’ in schools? In an article published on the 6th of September 2022 on BBC News [1], the director of the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit Read more…
Sabrina Jones is the Founder and CEO of a not-for-profit called Say It With Your Chest. Say It With Your Chest exists to empower young people who are at risk of school exclusion or need support with their personal development to overcome obstacles and cultivate happy, positive and fulfilling futures. Read more…
The South London borough, Southwark, is the first to pledge to follow a no-exclusion policy in the UK [1]. Schools signing up for an inclusion charter pledge aim not to exclude other than in cases where other pupils are at risk of harm. A trauma-informed approach Southwark council are supporting Read more…
Trigger warning: this blog contains information about death and grief. The names and locations in this blog have been changed to protect the identities of the people included. Susan taught music and drama in a North London school where she had a reputation for helping pupils who are on the Read more…
“Young people aren’t the leaders of tomorrow. They are the leaders of today and tomorrow.“ Kathy Calvin – Former Resident and Chief Executive Officer of the United Nations Foundation. In our past blog, we shone a light on the lack of youth input in policies that affect them directly. Following Read more…
The first thing that comes to our minds when we talk about volunteering, is work experience. However, over the years many volunteers have admitted that is not only about a career, but also a personal journey of learning. Greek philosopher Aristotle once said that the essence of life is “to Read more…
We are really happy to announce that in the not-for-profit category, Acquisition International have awarded us ” Best Youth Personal Development Project” for the South East of England. “Acquisition International launched this year’s programme with the intent of highlighting those Non-Profit Organisations that have weathered innumerable challenges over the last Read more…
A few years before I joined Say It With Your Chest, I was involved with a project that gave a chance of employment to young people who had behavioural problems and generally had been either temporarily or permanently excluded from mainstream education. To qualify for the programme the candidates needed Read more…
Many governmental departments, schools and youth organisations centre many of their policies based on the ‘best’ interests of young people’s well-being and development. But, how much of this is actually shaped by the young people it aims to help? Do these policies genuinely reflect what the youth voice is saying? Read more…
Magic breakfast is the charity working to eradicate child hunger across the UK. Their ethos is simple and stems from the belief that no child or young person in the UK should be too hungry to learn. Recently Magic Breakfast released a report called Hidden Hunger. In this report Read more…
A recent news article shared the experience of a mother’s memory of her son’s exclusion when he was five years old and a visit to a Pupil Referral Unit [1]. What is a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU)? PRUs are independent schools set up to provide an education for children who Read more…
The UK government’s educator regulator, Ofsted, has released a catch-up report [1] following up on the decline in young people’s development. This report looked at the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Ofsted’s leading cause of concern is pupils’ mental health problems, stress among teachers, and ongoing school absences due Read more…
Success for individuals is primarily thought to be down to one’s motivation. Modern-day society has shaped us to believe that no matter our personal situation, our own self-drive and motivation will help us to overcome any obstacle we face. Although many successful people come from working-class backgrounds, their journeys were Read more…
The 2022 film academy awards, popularly known as the Oscars, will go down in history as one of the most jaw dropping events in the global film industry. It was a night to remember…. but for all the wrong reasons. The world looked on in sheer shock as Oscar winning Read more…
In England, the English government decide what children should be achieving at certain stages of their education and then all children are assessed at the end of each key stage to see if they are meeting the national standards. The key stages There are 4 key stages: Key Stage 1 Read more…
We are excited to announce that our founder and CEO Sabrina Jones has been nominated for a national diversity award. She has been nominated for the positive role model category which is sponsored by The Open University. The National Diversity Awards states ” the importance of having a role model Read more…
We cannot believe that it has been 2 years since England went into the first lockdown. Throughout lockdown we wrote a few blogs looking at the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of young people. You can check them out here and here. In this blog, we reflect Read more…
On a day to day basis you probably come across and meet a wide range of people who come from all corners of the world. Being able to connect and communicate with people from all backgrounds is now shifting from a soft skill to a necessary skill in the workplace. Read more…
Could the solution to the UK education systems longstanding problem of disproportionately high exclusion levels among Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students, really be as simple as the title for this blog suggests? In this blog we take a closer look at the facts, stats and lived experiences documented Read more…
Photo by Yan Krukov When working with young people, it is essential to build trust and rapport. Developing a successful rapport means that you and the young people have mutual respect for each other. This allows working towards a common goal with both sides committed and open to communication. Developmental Read more…
For a young person the power of a good relationship with a trusted adult, feeling like they belong and building a rapport with a trusted adult should not be underestimated. We came across the below email written to a teacher by a former student and we wanted to share it Read more…
Supply teachers are known to have it very difficult. I have witnessed students take advantage when there is a supply teacher or cover supervisor in place of their normal class teacher. And so, I knew what I would face in this role. However, I can say that within the short time that I have been a supply teacher, I Read more…
In April 2021, I decided to stop being a teacher at a secondary school in London. I left with the intention of leaving the teaching profession once and for all. No tutoring on the side and no involvement with a teaching-based role even if it wasn’t a school. I had enough – but it wasn’t Read more…
Christmas is upon us and while lots of us will be getting ready for festive cheer, it isn’t always a time of joy for many young people. The harsh reality for some Child Poverty Action Group estimates that roughly in every class in the UK, 9 children in every class of 30 will be living Read more…
This week is Grief awareness week. So, we want to share a story that shows how grief impacts young people. In 2019 we had a workshop heavily disrupted by a young person. She refused to take part in any activities, threw her writing equipment across the room and verbally abused Read more…
We are delighted, and humbled, to tell you that we have won a Stephen Lloyd award! Stephen spent the majority of his working life enabling charities and social enterprises to fulfil their potential. He joined Bates Wells Braithwaite, a commercial and charity law firm based in London, in 1980. Attracted by their slightly Read more…
Educational psychologists use psychology techniques and research, alongside assessment and monitoring of children and young people. They do this to help schools and other education providers to improve teaching and behaviour [1]. Most are employed by local authorities, although more are starting to work for themselves [2]. They will usually Read more…
What is a learning difference? There are several common learning differences and they are dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyscalculia and dysgraphia [1]. As a teacher, or someone that works with young people it is important to be aware of how learning differences can impact someone. Therefore, we have summarised several learning differences below with an explanation of how Read more…
Being a teacher means there is pressure from all sides: pupils, parents, and head teachers. Not to mention worries over the Ofsted inspection, and now whether or not half of your class will turn up because of a global pandemic. In the latest in our series on the school to prison pipeline we Read more…
Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) Autism is described as “a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world” (1). One in 100 people are on the autistic spectrum and there are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK (2). Beyond Autism have an informative picture Read more…
True ‘intelligence’, covers many, many different qualities. As Einstein once said, ‘If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it’ll live its whole life believing that it’s stupid’. The truth is, we’re all ‘intelligent’; just in different ways, at different things. Why is this important to know? Because our education system does not always recognise this. There’s a whole list Read more…
“I have learned that as long as I hold fast to my beliefs and values, and follow my own moral compass, then the only expectations I need to live up to are my own.” Michelle Obama [1] In this quote, the attorney, author and former first lady of the United Read more…
At one end of the school to prison pipeline is the student. A young person whose life has been turned upside down. At the other are the people making the laws for our education system: the elected government and its civil servants. So, in the latest in the school to prison pipeline series, Read more…
Our young people are the future of, well, everything. We need to allow them to have a voice, a safe space in which to use that voice, and encourage and support them to reach their goals. Were you encouraged to have an open mindset as a child? Did your parents and Read more…
Black History Month Black history month is an important event in our calendar. It aims to celebrate the lives, contributions and events of African Americans in the United States (NatGeoKids). But how did it start? And why do we celebrate it in the UK? Black History dates back to the Read more…
Wednesday 22 September is National Fitness Day [1]. National Fitness Day raises awareness of the importance of exercise. At a time when anxiety and mental health problems have increased in young people, because of the pandemic [2], getting active has never been more important. Why exercise is good for you The health benefits Read more…
We’ve had a rough couple of years, haven’t we? We don’t think anyone will look back on 2020/2021 and say ‘oh yeah, had such a great time that year’. It’s been pretty difficult, and it’s been even more difficult for young people. Being young can be challenging at the best of times, throw in a pandemic and it’s just… well, Read more…
In 2020 we created the School to Prison Pipeline. In one image, we show the risks to young people getting sucked into a life in which education gets harder to access. A life that too often leads to crime, prison and reoffending. It was the reason Sabrina Jones founded Say it With Read more…
Teaching. It’s a powerful vocation. You’re responsible for shaping young lives and helping them grow and achieve everything they dream of. Your words also contribute to shaping a young person. For example, negative words and labels can crush a child’s confidence and, sometimes, they may not recover from the confidence blow. We have spoken to various adults Read more…
At age 14 I had already been fixed period excluded 100 times. My year leader felt it was time for a chat. “You really are breathing valuable oxygen someone else could be using” she said. Well, I knew she didn’t like me but this was a whole new level for Read more…
Hi my name’s Khadija and I’ve been a volunteer with Say It With Your Chest (SIWYC) since February 2021. I have over 10 years’ experience of working in Compliance and Risk Management within the Financial Services sector, however I decided to take a career break so that I could use my skills and Read more…
Tuesday 1st June – Monday 7th June 2021 is National Volunteers Week! Volunteering is a great way of making a fantastic contribution to a good cause and to the wider community. Volunteers Week is the time to celebrate volunteers and their contribution. Why should you volunteer? As well as helping others, volunteering has Read more…
Trigger warning – this blog post discusses self-harm, suicidal feelings and bulimia Year 11 I was excluded for six weeks in year eleven, shortly before my GCSEs. I was very unwell at the time: I’d attempted suicide twice, spent my sixteenth birthday in hospital, and had an eating disorder for several Read more…
What is your background in the education sector? I have worked in selective schools, state schools and pupil referral units. However, I left the education sector after four years because I felt that is was failing certain students. What is your understanding of our work? The work that Say It With Read more…
We are excited to announce the launch of our new services thanks to funding from The Phoenix Fund. To celebrate the launch with you, we will be offering a discount of 10% on all services which are booked in April 2021. To be eligible for the discount the services have Read more…
Covid Like an iceberg the real danger of this Covid pandemic lies hidden below the surface. Lots of the damaging effects of Covid are communicated to us daily. For example: how many new infections there are the number of people admitted to hospital the number of people who have sadly Read more…
It is children’s mental health week. So this is a blog where we will share some practical top tips to help improve mental health. We will also be discussing how children’s mental health has been impacted by the pandemic. Our tips Here are some of our tips for children who are Read more…
We are excited to be launching new services in March thanks to funding from The Phoenix Fund. Public speaking – we can be a panelist for your event or deliver a talk or presentation that is tailored to your needs. All services can be delivered online or in person. Personal development Read more…
So, 2020 is the year that home schooling, online lessons, face masks and social distancing became the norm. It is nearly a year later and the new norm has not changed. So it makes sense why both pupils and school staff are finding navigating the pandemic and their new norm Read more…
Here at Say It With Your Chest we believe that all young people should be empowered to be the best version of themselves. Despite Covid-19 making it hard to work with young people in person we do not want the pandemic to stop young people from receiving the support that Read more…
What are school exclusions? Before we talk about school exclusions lets define school exclusions. So, the term ‘exclusion’ was first used in the Education (No 2) Act 1986, which explained different types of exclusion: fixed period and permanent (Berridge, 2001). A fixed period exclusion is when a child is temporarily Read more…
Earlier this week, we were thrilled to learn that we have been nominated as one of the most progressive organisations to work at. This award is known as the escape 100. The award is hosted by Escape The City. This year has been a hard year for everyone so this Read more…
Primary school Year 5 was the first time I got excluded. I was getting rude to a student and the whole class was laughing. The teacher then stepped in and embarrassed me by belittling me in front of my peers. I did not like the feeling of embarrassment and I Read more…
Our founder and CEO recently wrote an article for a magazine about diverting pupils from the school to prison pipeline. Below is an adapted version of the article. However, if you would rather read the full article directly from the Educate magazine the article can also be accessed here on Read more…
It is important to us that we use our voice and platform to speak about how young people can be better supported. Therefore, we are delighted that our founder Sabrina was interviewed by BBC Politics London where she got to share some of our insights. Please see below a short snippet Read more…
Sabrina our founder and CEO delivered a talk at Goldsmith’s University of London about the school to prison pipeline. Some of the main points that she spoke about have been included in this blog post. The school to prison pipeline is a process where certain disciplinary practices in schools, increases Read more…
We spoke at a serious violence collective about our work with young girls who are likely to be excluded and exposed to violence. We feel that it is important that we share what we have our learnt based on our work. So below you will see a short summary of Read more…
We are excited to announce that our founder Sabrina, has been awarded a Shackleton Leadership Award for her work with Say It With Your Chest. This award means that we have secured funding of £10,000 to expand our impact. We are really looking forward to working with more young people thanks Read more…
Currently, there are not enough preventative methods for knife crime and this is something that needs to change. This blog post will offer our perspective on how knife crime has impacted those we work with whilst also giving you an insight as to why some students get involved in knife Read more…
Our founder Sabrina has been attending a 10 week business development course to develop Say It With Your Chest. At the end of the course she had to pitch the concept behind Say It With Your Chest to a panel of judges. We are happy to announce that Sabrina was Read more…
We were invited to speak on BBC Asian Network in April. We spoke about the school to prison pipeline, school exclusions and what Say It With Your Chest does. If you want to listen we have uploaded our radio interview below. Please note that the interview starts 7 seconds into Read more…
Teaching mental health in the curriculum we believe will be good for students and teachers. This is because it may encourage students who would normally not speak up to seek extra support. Also, mental health being taught in the curriculum will give teachers a better understanding of disorders which they Read more…
This blog post was written for Say It With Your Chest by Candice Williams who is a mental health blogger. As some of you may know, May is mental health awareness month. With exclusions currently being a key topic of discussion it is a crucial time to understand a) if Read more…
Three students discuss their opinions of exclusions. These students have started their own campaign called No Lost Causes as they wanted to start a youth-led movement which represents the change that the education system needs. To follow their journey you can find them on twitter and instagram by searching: @NLcauses Read more…
Having seen the transition for many children within the system, from education, I have noticed that there is a growing trend in the poor life outcomes for children who are excluded from school. School exclusion, not only puts these vulnerable children at risk from attaining low educational prospects, it also Read more…
We had the pleasure of meeting Keisha Mcleod a couple weeks ago; we met to discuss her son CJ who tragically lost his life after being shot in a park in September 2017. CJ was killed after being excluded and sent to a pupil referral unit (PRU). Please see her Read more…
Are you okay?Do you feel safe?How are you today? A question i ask and fear the answer, knowing i have little time to listen, if a child does choose to open up. Would you bother to express emotion to someone who is partly listening and partly watching the 29 other Read more…