A charity dedicated to supporting children and young people at risk of exploitation, abuse and social exclusion has become the latest addition to the Bedford College Group’s Employer Partnership Scheme.
Link to Change is the only voluntary organisation in the Bedfordshire area that exclusively offers its resources to help at-risk young people shape their futures while allowing themselves to heal.
The partnership helps students make connections that will benefit them in their future careers by sparking a passion through educational experiences.
Link to Change is able to offer valuable insights for students while carrying out impactful charity work to support at-risk young people.
The charity said it was “thrilled” by the partnership and aims to create new opportunities and educational experiences for students, while enabling Link to Change to continue spreading its message and educating young people about its mission to break the cycle of child exploitation.
Link to Change is already exploring various opportunities to benefit students within The Bedford College Group, including working with Health and Social Care students to raise awareness of their work and its importance, and delivering workshops on the exploitation of young people and its damaging effects.
These sessions are designed to equip students with the knowledge to recognise warning signs and better support those they may work with in their future careers.
The charity plans to take on a Marketing T-Level placement student in the spring, and are developing ‘real-world’ projects for students studying Business, Media, and Creative Arts, such as fundraising activities, awareness campaigns, marketing strategy challenges, and the development of educational resource materials, including short films, leaflets, and interactive tools.
They have also signed up to attend the Group’s Fresher’s Fairs and plans to be part of other career and employer events.
“Fresh perspective on challenges”
Partnership manager at The Bedford College Group, Rachel Roberts, said: “Continuously providing new learning experiences for our students is why the Employer Partnership Scheme was founded.
“Link to Change offers a fresh perspective on the challenges faced by young people and the significance of community in shaping prosperous futures for today’s young people, whilst providing students with valuable work experience applicable to the real world.
“We are delighted to announce this partnership, supporting their charitable work and inspiring our students to make the most of every opportunity.”
Hayley Brown MBA, chief executive officer at Link to Change, said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with The Bedford College Group through their Employer Partnership Scheme.
“This collaboration gives us a powerful platform to raise awareness of the issues surrounding child exploitation while engaging directly with students who are passionate about making a difference.
“By working together, we can inspire and equip the next generation to help build safer futures for all young people. Every conversation, every project, and every shared experience is a step toward lasting change, and we’re excited to take that journey together.”
Expanding the Employer Partnership Scheme allows The Bedford College Group to offer students unique experiences, fostering creativity and
