Amaze launches its new strategic plan for 2025-2030
Sally Polanski, Amaze CEO, explains the thinking and processes that underpin our brand new organisational strategy
Many thanks to the 200+ young people, parent carers and partner organisations who shared their views during our recent consultation on the future of Amaze. We are delighted to launch our new five-year strategy.
The strategy sets out our high-level goals and ambitions and reflects what local families with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) told us they want from Amaze.
The context in which we are launching this strategy is challenging. Education, health and care services for children and young people with SEND are under huge pressure. At the same time, much is changing nationally and locally. We anticipate significant policy changes and SEND reforms in England soon. Whilst locally, local government and the NHS in Sussex will be completely restructured in coming months. On top of this, like many other charities, we are grappling with rising costs and reducing resources.
We are determined that Amaze will be a constant for the children and young people, parent carers and families who sit at the heart of our strategy. We are acutely aware of the challenges they face, and we exist to provide a positive impact on their lives, The strategy articulates our refreshed vision and mission.
- Our vision: An inclusive community where disabled people, and their families, belong and flourish
- Our mission: To guide children, young people and families through the complex world of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), to know their rights and get the support they need.
What you told us
During the consultation process the overwhelming feedback was that we’re doing a good job and young people and their parent carers want us to carry on doing what we do well: providing information and advice on SEND, emotional support and connection. We also heard that:
- Disabled young people wish to be recognised, respected and included. They want Amaze to provide services that enable them to enjoy themselves, make friends, learn, volunteer, work, increase their independence and develop practical skills.
- Parent carers want Amaze to help them to navigate the SEND system and secure high-quality support to help their family.
- Our commissioners and partners respect and value Amaze for the services we provide, the creative ways in which we work and adapt our offer to support families, and our strong commitment to collaboration
- Our staff are proud of what they do but are frustrated by the gaps in provision, rising demand and lack of resource to provide the levels of support we wish we could. Staff want Amaze to be more vocal in calling for change.
- We are a well-regarded voluntary sector provider with robust and effective governance and management, but we need to maintain good organisational development to help us to stay strong and continue to prioritise collaboration with partners.
Our four key priorities for 2025 to 2030
Our strategy has four overarching priorities which will determine our work over the next five years. We will:
- Help parent carers, young people and families navigate the SEND maze and feel less alone
- Support young people now and for their future into adulthood
- As leaders and trusted partners, influence and drive positive development of the SEND system in Sussex
- Develop Amaze as an organisation to be effective, resilient and sustainable
Everything we heard during the consultation has fed into our thinking and the strategy, but of course, we can’t capture all the detail and keep the document short and accessible! If you want to find out more and understand how your feedback has been taken on board, and where we might not have been able to do everything that was asked for, please read our ‘you said, we did’ summary report. We are very grateful to everyone who gave up their time to contribute to our thinking.
An easy-read version of the strategy is also available here.
The fantastic team of staff and volunteers are working hard to support local families and reach more disabled people in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex. Maybe you can help us in this too. If you are inspired by our strategic plan, and you or your workplace can donate time, money or expertise to support Amaze, we’d love to hear from you. Email [email protected]
Sally Polanski, Amaze CEO
