����app (OGAT) students gathered for their sixth student voice conference this week. The conference focused on careers and personal development, a theme chosen by the students themselves. More than 100 students from across the Outwood Family of Schools attended the conference to collaborate and network with fellow students from other regions at the Milner Hotel, York.

The conference was hosted in collaboration with the High Performance Foundation, an independent charity working with young people and schools to build mental strength, develop employability skills and increase social mobility.

Chloe Dannatt, CEO and Co-Founder at High Performance Foundation, said:

“At the High Performance Foundation, we’re proud and excited to collaborate with ����app to help young people build confidence, resilience, and the skills they need to thrive beyond the classroom. It’s been incredibly inspiring to see the students from across the Outwood Family of Schools come together to focus on their mental strength.”

Guest speakers on the day included Callum Hall, a Paralympian and Jamie Carter, a content creator, who spoke to the students about mental health, resilience and overcoming challenges.

Callum Hall said:

“I was excited to speak to the students about my life with a spinal cord injury. Hopefully, they were able to identify with challenges that I’ve faced in my life and can take away the message that overcoming failure and challenges leads to growth and positive change!”

Jamie Carter added:

“Giving the next generation the best starting point possible is really important to me, so hopefully sharing the skills and ideas that I’ve learnt across my 15-year career will help at least one person to achieve their full potential.”

The conference celebrated 15 years since the Trust was founded and was an opportunity to mark the Trust's journey, and look at how students will help shape the next 15 years. To end the day, students built a time capsule to be opened in 15 years, giving an insight into what being an Outwood student in 2025 is like. Every academy placed something special that represents their school community inside, alongside a personalised card to be opened in 2039.

Carolyn Blundell, community executive principal at OGAT, said:

“It has been an incredibly special day sharing the Trust's celebrations with some insightful, innovative and creative young people. All secondary academies in the Trust were represented by students who had travelled from across the north of England, and being able to host the event at The Milner Hotel in York was entirely fitting.

“I have no doubt that the young people who joined us will take the learning from the day to impact positively on all students in their schools and enrich their own lives further. It was a privilege to be part of it.”