Rapid Reads | 2engage | Newsletter Autumn 2025

2engage are grateful to have received a grant from the Westminster Foundation, enabling Risking It All to be delivered to Year 9 pupils in secondary schools across Cheshire West and Chester this academic year.

Risking It All is an interactive theatre production that stages the real stories of young people. It explores themes within the RSHE curriculum including:

Sexual exploitation
Risk-taking behaviour
Substance use
Vaping
County lines
Consent

So far, the sessions have received fantastic feedback with 100% of teachers saying that they would recommend the session to colleagues, peers and other establishments.

One teacher said:

The 2engage performance was excellently delivered to an enthralled Year 9 group, who were hooked from the start. The topics covered are impactful and age appropriate. Our learners enjoyed the sessions and got a lot of useful information on how to keep themselves safe.

Year 9 pupils at Blacon High School and Upton-by-Chester High School also took part in focus groups to reflect on their recent experience of our Risking It All session.

We discussed their key takeaways and heard their thoughts on the issues currently affecting young people in our local community. These insights will help shape our future projects, ensuring that young people’s voices remain at the heart of our work.

We are grateful to the Westminster Foundation for supporting this project, enabling this important work to take place.

In September, 2engage held an icebreaker workshop at Salford University to to kick off this years “Plug into Salford” programme.

This initiative is all about supporting young people who are the first in their family to attend university, helping them transition into student life with confidence.

Participants said:

“I was able to make new connections with people and raise my confidence, so that I was no longer anxious about attending the programme.”

“Ed was super funny and entertaining – he got us out of our comfort zones.”

“The icebreakers made a big impact on the whole vibe of the room.”

“The icebreakers made me feel more comfortable to interact with new people and speak up.”

It was fantastic to help students start their university journey feeling more confident, connected and ready for what’s ahead.

2engage delivered training to the fantastic Student Marshals and Student Ambassadors at the University of Salford.

The sessions focused on building the essential soft skills needed for events like Open Days and Offer Holder Days, but also for long-term employability and personal development.

Through creative, hands-on exercises, students practiced their communication skills and built the confidence to handle a wide range of situations they may face in their roles.

Dr Emma Ferguson, Student Ambassador Coordinator at the University of Salford, said:

“I thought the sessions were absolutely brilliant. It was genuinely lovely to see how much they grew in confidence throughout the session. It was such a positive transformation to witness. Thanks again for such a valuable and engaging day!”

2engage recently delivered the Back to Our Future resilience session for Year 13 students at Tarporley High School, forming part of their PSHE morning.

The session explored the real pressures young people face – from coursework and exams to friendships and social media. Through interactive discussions and honest conversations, students:

Identified their personal stressors
Recognised which challenges they can control
Explored practical strategies to manage the pressures they face

The session was an opportunity for students to reflect, build confidence, and gain practical tools to support their wellbeing during a demanding time.

2engage visited WeMindTheGap’s WeInspire group at Queen’s Park High School in Chester to deliver a workshop all about peer pressure and decision-making.

WeInspire is WeMindTheGap’s nurturing programme for 11-15-year-olds who are struggling with traditional education and have gaps in attendance and/or engagement. Learn more about the programme here.

Through fun games, activities and discussions, the group explored the influence of peer pressure and the desire to fit in on our actions.

Thank you to WeMindTheGap for having us!