Hastings and Bexhill

In September 2024, we were thrilled to have Emma Cross join our team as a Progression Coach in Hastings and Bexhill. Before working at Villiers Park, Emma worked as a teacher across multiple schools in East Sussex and internationally. What does your role entail? As a Progression Coach, my role involves supporting young people across Hastings and Bexhill ?" especially those from underrepresented backgrounds ?" in achieving their academic and career aspirations. I provide one-to-one sessions to help students develop confidence, resilience and goal setting skills as well as supporting students in identifying their strengths, interests and potential career pathways. This support could either be through university and apprenticeship applications, personal statements, interview preparation, internships or other alternative career pathways. I have also been involved in organising and delivering workshops around applying for university and managing exam anxiety. What did you do before coming to Villiers Park? I spent some time in Hong Kong studying and teaching English at a local primary school. Throughout my time teaching, I discovered a passion for learning about education in international contexts, so I decided to study a MA in International Education and Development at the University of Sussex. From this, I gained valuable insights on the impact of globalisation on education policy and practice. I also volunteered with the Hastings Sierra Leone Friendship Link, where I had the opportunity to travel to Hastings, Sierra Leone, and work with some amazing individuals, focusing on developing education and healthcare around the surrounding areas of Freetown. What is your biggest project at the moment? My biggest project now is supporting our Future Leaders with their Leadership Challenge projects. I spend a lot of time working with groups, supporting them with their project proposals and implementation. We have some great projects this year, such as a community beach clean, a research presentation around A-Level Law, teaching a Year 7 PE lesson and a whole school football tournament. What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing in your role? The biggest challenge I am currently facing is finding local and contextual apprenticeship and work experience opportunities for our Future Leaders. Hastings and Bexhill have a limited offering for these opportunities, so it makes it difficult for our Future Leaders to feel motivated and involved in apprenticeships. What is your favourite part about your job? My favourite part of the job is seeing the direct impact you have on students’ confidence and aspirations. Watching students grow and see them go from uncertain about their future to feeling empowered and motivated and building strong relationships with young people and being their trusted mentor who helps them navigate challenges. Also, knowing that your work is making a real difference in creating social mobility and giving students access to opportunities, like university insight days, they might not have had otherwise. What is a book you will always recommend? This is How You Lose the Time War, by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone ?" high science fiction meets with poetic love literary! If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go? It has always been my dream to go to Japan! I’m fascinated by the culture and landscape ?" and Japanese food is my favourite!? Or New Zealand to see all the different locations where they filmed the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Who are your two dream dinner party guests? Wow! So many people I would choose... but I would have to go with Chino Moreno from the band Deftones ?" just so I can talk about all the things I love about his music! And Hakuri Murakami to talk all things literature. What would your perfect weekend look like? A perfect weekend would be brunch in my favourite cafe (must have good coffee!), a sunny walk around the South Downs with the dogs, ending up in a pub with good friends, food and a band!

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