The Suffolk Young Speaker of the Year event is a platform for children and young people to share their view of the world through the art and power of spoken word.

At ASSET Education, our purpose in its short form is to "nurture humanity". We believe this means developing children and young people's agency, giving them opportunities to articulate their hopes, dreams and demands for their future. As members of Ipswich Social Mobility Alliance (ISMA) we made a commitment in the current ISMA action plan to create more opportunities for children and young people across Suffolk - not just those in ASSET schools - to be heard and develop their public speaking skills.

This event was designed and is run by our ASSET Alumni - young people who have left ASSET primary schools to go on to secondary school and continue to work with us on community based Youth Social Action. 

Our Headline Sponsor this year is The Ormiston Trust

The Ormiston Trust is one of the largest sponsors of academy schools in England, and a key supporter of the #iWill Movement as a match funder to the #iWill Fund. They are passionate about supporting young people to develop their voice and agency and drive meaningful youth-led change for their communities, having invested several million pounds over the past five years to create school-based social action opportunities for over 20,000 young people.

Through youth social action, young people can help create change at the same time as developing key transferable attributes such as leadership, project management and communication skills with different audiences, which will benefit them for years to come.

They are sponsoring the Social Action Award in the hope that it will encourage young speakers to make the case to their peers on why they should take part in youth social action, become active citizens that can make a positive difference

Why MSC Supports the Suffolk Young Speaker of the Year 

At MSC, we believe that giving young people the opportunity to express themselves is an investment in their future and in the communities they will go on to shape. The Suffolk Young Speaker of the Year Awards offer a valuable platform for young people to develop these skills in a supportive and encouraging environment.

We are proud to sponsor the Future Award, which recognises young people who have faced barriers that have made being heard more challenging, yet continue to approach the world with optimism and a desire to create positive environments for others. This emphasis on equal opportunities reflects one of MSC’s core values and our belief that every young person should have the chance to be seen, heard, and celebrated.

By supporting participation bursaries and the wider programme, we aim to ensure that young people from all parts of Suffolk, including rural and coastal communities, can take part without practical limitations standing in their way.

MSC is a signatory to the Power of Youth Charter, and supporting this event reflects our ongoing commitment to acting on that pledge. We remain dedicated to creating opportunities that help young people build confidence, develop leadership skills, and step into their futures with a strong sense of possibility.

Keys Inclusion Pathways

We are proud to welcome Keys Group as the official sponsor of this year’s Inclusion Award. Keys Inclusion Pathways offers a range of trauma-informed, technology-enabled educational opportunities. For those learners who cannot currently access traditional or specialist schools, they take education ‘beyond the classroom’, delivering personalised learning designed to help children re-engage with education safely, confidently and sustainably.

Our final is kindly hosted by The University of Suffolk