A Word From Chelmsford College Principal on Colleges Powering Community Change

The recent announcement of a £250,000 investment from Arts Council England into Chelmsford’s Young Cultural Changemakers Programme is not just good news for the city – it is a fantastic example of community collaboration. It also demonstrates how further and higher education institutions continue to generate social value and unlock opportunities.

At the heart of this youth-led initiative is a simple principle: when we work together - with purpose, across sectors and in partnership with our communities - we can achieve meaningful, long-term change.

Chelmsford College is proud to be a delivery partner on this ambitious programme, which sees young people from across the city shaping public policy, leading cultural initiatives and designing a future that reflects their identity and aspirations. Working alongside Culture Chelmsford, the City Council, Anglia Ruskin University and local organisations, we are helping to build a more inclusive creative economy and civic culture.

This is what social value looks like in action: our young people gaining real leadership experience, building confidence, accessing creative industries and changing the narrative for themselves and their communities.

Too often, colleges are seen simply as places of education. But we are much more than that - we are anchor institutions. We are embedded in our communities and have a role to champion and create the conditions for social mobility.

This work is local, but its impact will be further reaching. Chelmsford’s model of youth-led collaboration could (and should) be replicated across the country. The challenges facing young people today demand new approaches – and as all of us working in FE know, colleges have the reach and the trust to deliver them.

Thank you to all our staff and students who are involved - I am extremely proud of our city and the role Chelmsford College is playing in the community. I am always keen to connect with colleagues across the sector who may be doing something similar or are interested in sharing ideas in this social impact space – please do get in touch.