Wychavon investment helped young people grow in confidence
Wychavon District Council has invested £25,000 in a programme that helped young people across the district build self-esteem, resilience, and confidence.
The funding supported ten six-week Be You Training programmes in Wychavon middle and high schools, giving young people the chance to develop confidence, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills in a supportive but challenging environment.
The Be You Programme, led by founder Steve Boycott, focused on raising self-esteem and developing resilience. It used practical activities including teamwork, outdoor learning, Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, and community projects to help young people step outside their comfort zones, learn from challenge and failure, and build transferable life skills to support them in school and beyond.
The investment supported Wychavon’s commitment to social mobility by creating opportunities for young people who may face barriers to confidence, aspiration, or engagement, helping them see what they are capable of and giving them skills to support their future education, employment, and wellbeing.
Feedback from schools already involved in the programme has highlighted improvements in attendance, self-esteem, resilience, and participation in lessons. Schools also reported that young people had gained confidence speaking with adults and peers, including in front of an audience, and had shown increased self-advocacy and maturity when coping with stressful or unfamiliar situations.
Cllr Rob Adams, Executive Board Member for Strong Communities, Culture and Sport: “Every young person deserves the chance to believe in themselves and see a positive future. This funding is about opening doors for young people in Wychavon who may not otherwise have had access to this kind of support. By investing in self-esteem, resilience, and confidence, we are helping young people build the skills they need to take the next step, whether that is in school, at home, in their community or later in the workplace.”
Steve Boycott, Founder of Be You Training, said: “The Be You Programme aims to raise self-esteem and build resilience. It is designed to be supportive, practical, and challenging. It gives young people a safe space to understand themselves, get to where they are comfortable, and then take one more step. I am delighted Wychavon has supported this work, because this kind of investment can make a real difference to how young people see themselves and their futures.”
School feedback described the sessions as having “real impact” and broadening the horizons of young people taking part. One young person said they were proud of their achievements and that Steve’s advice to get comfortable, then take one more step, had stayed with them since the first week. A parent also said they had seen a clear change in their child’s confidence following the programme.
Be You Training has been raising self-esteem and resilience among young people since 2018. Its programmes are tailored to each school and cohort, with a focus on helping young people develop confidence, responsibility and resilience through real-world experiences and reflection.
Notes to editors
The Be You Training website is available at www.beyoutraining.co.uk
The programme information in this release is based on Wychavon school feedback and publicly available information from Be You Training.