Agenda item - Mayor's Communications.

To receive communications from the Mayor.

46.1    The Mayor stated that she was pleased to announce that the ‘Our Choice Project’ Adventure Unlimited and Brighton & Hove City Council Participation Team had won the Participation in the City Sports Award. The project was recognised for its work to engage young people to develop and shape opportunities for young people in care in Brighton & Hove, and participate in outdoor adventure activities. The project had provided opportunities to take part in sport and outdoor activities for more than 90% of children in care. A short film could be viewed on the Council’s Sports and Activity Web pages. The Mayor asked that Rob Scoble and one of the participants to come up and collect the award.

46.2    The Mayor stated she was pleased to announce that BEACH – Brighton Employability Advice and Careers Hut – an employability website specific to Brighton and Hove which had been designed for young people by young people, had won a prestigious Eurocities award in the category ‘smart jobs’. BEACH was developed as a citizen-driven innovation between Blatchington Mill, Cardinal Newman and Varndean secondary schools, Brighton & Hove City Council, BrightonandHoveJobs.com and other local employers. It was targeted at young people who were at school or college, or those who have already left and are looking for employment; an apprenticeship; part-time or weekend work. It was being used as a resource by schools, colleges, training providers and throughout the community and voluntary sector to develop young people’s employability skills, but also to help them look for, get and keep a job. To keep it fresh and current it was reviewed and updated by a new group of year 10 students known as the BEACH Patrol. They were ambassadors for BEACH and promote it within schools to students, staff and parents and also amongst the business community. The Mayor extended congratulations to all of the partners involved in the development of BEACH, and asked that Hannah, Lauren and Sam, three of the students involved from the very beginning of the project come forward and collect the award.