Testimonials

Act 2 Improve are improving communities - Please click here to view Thames Valley Police (TVP) Report Thames-Valley-Report-on-behalf-of-Act-2Improve-Report
Thames Valley Police Report

Act 2 Improve have provided the right care support packages for young people and families within our semi independent placement units. Over the past few years, Children’s Care Services have best utilised Act 2 Improves services through referring some of our most challenging vulnerable looked after children who are on:  

• Care and Early Health Assessment plans.
• Court Orders for involvement in high level county lines criminal activities.
• Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).

Act 2 Improve have provided outstanding care packages that focuses on developing and empowering the young people to make choices that will have positive impacts/ outcomes during the young persons transition into adulthood, and beyond. They work closely with our team of Social Workers in rebuilding broken down relationships with professionals and families, which contributes to a healthy balanced working relationship which is centre focused in providing the best possible care for the young person and family. They have successfully managed to:

• Rebuild relationships within the family environment.
• Reduce the crime rate within local communities (Please click here to view Thames Valley Police (TVP) Report ).
• Support the young people in returning back into education and gaining qualifications.
• Developing the young person in building their confidence and skills through becoming employable through employment.

Act 2 Improve have also demonstrated why it is important to remain in contact with the young person and family after they turn 18 years old and are no longer under the care or support which was provided through the Local Authorities. Children’s Care Services will continue to use Act 2 Improve in providing effective working practical care packages.
Nathan Whitley – Head of Children’s Care Services & Children’s Commissioning – Buckinghamshire

Akwesi brings experience, enthusiasm and resourcefulness to working with young people in a variety of circumstances, and often facing considerable challenges. Expecting, and giving the best under pressure, Akwesi has been a privilege to work with.
Matthew Trustman – Drama therapist & Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of Roehampton

Akwesi is clearly dedicated to the children under his ward. Throughout my working with Akwesi, he has displayed honesty, passion and dedication over and above expectation. This has included visiting a child placed in numerous placements across the country in his own time to ensure they are receiving the support needed to make them feel safe and secure.  Akwesi is able to build positive and caring relationships with young people who are often difficult to engage; showing great insight into the ‘whys’ of behaviour, enabling reflective change with young people. I will always seek out Akwesi for support in future cases when needed.
Hannah Jones – Oxfordshire Social Care

Akwesi and his team were able to really engage with the young people they were working with – a group that may be considered ‘hard to reach’ by other professionals. Knowing how challenging it can be to get young people’s commitment to attend programmes, especially in the summer holidays(!), I believe the high level of attendance that Act 2 Improve achieved from the students reflected the quality of the content and delivery of the course. All the staff were clearly passionate about their work with young people and dedicated to achieving positive outcomes for the group. They challenged and supported the students and above all, encouraged them to have self-belief, aspirations and to recognise they have power over their own choices.
Helen Fortgang, Children’s Service Manager. Barnardo’s, R-U-Safe Bucks Missing and Exploitation Service (Aylesbury)

I have seen a positive change in so many students who pass through my programmes due to Akwesi's input and they have returned to School more confident, enthusiastic and most importantly with more self belief. I would recommend Akwesi to anyone looking to achieve the same outcomes for their young people.
Carl Humphreys, Meadow Brook and FLO9 Lead Trainer (Oxfordshire)

I worked with Akwesi for a few years and delivered sessions with him to small groups of young people from the ages of eleven to fifteen. His engagement with the young people was both limitless and energetic which shone through to the group and his determination to empower students was admirable. He would encourage them to realise their potential and give them belief in themselves, which was evident towards the end of the course. Just his smile and commitment would inspire the students to ‘have a go’.
Hayden Tennant, Brook, Education and Training Advanced Practitioner, Milton Keynes.

Akwesi’s understanding of the needs of young people with very complex Social Emotional and Behavioural needs is quite outstanding. As a result of this he is able to develop positive relationships with the young people he works with enabling him to engage the most ‘hard to reach’students. He is also able to empower other staff do develop these skills through role modelling and coaching. This has meant that he has worked well with local schools and has enabled schools to increase their capacity to meet the needs of this particularly vulnerable cohort.
Helen Huntley, Executive Headteacher, Haybrook College (Slough)

Akwesi ran the Restrart programme in Milton Keynes. His high levels of professionalism and his ability to engage young people was outstanding. We had many students who successfully completed his course and were able to re-engage with school in a far more positive way. He is really good to work with, as well as being solution focused and highly flexible in trying to meet the needs of the institution as well as the young people in his charge.
Nigel Handyside, Deputy Head at Lord Grey School (Milton Keynes)

I have found the staff friendly, caring, supportive and funny. The students are really friendly bunch very engaging and linguistic.
Marcus from Compass (Drug and Alcohol awareness)

Akwesi has been working at Barnhill since September 2017 as part of Creative Solutions. He has been working with vulnerable students in a one to one and group capacity. Akwesi is an outstanding Mentor who is clearly gifted in support young people from all ages. He has demonstrated excellent communication skills both with the students, staff, parents and guardians. He is able to engage with young people, and equip them with the skills to use in the classroom environment in preparation for their GCSE’s and the future. I would strongly recommend Akwesi to work with any company or organisation that has challenging or vulnerable young people, and see the way he will change their lives for the better.  
Angela Gabriel, Alternative Provision Director, Barnhill Community School

My son attended the Act To Improve Summer Club 2018 held at Aylesbury Multicultural Centre. When Akwesi contacted me initially about the club, I explained that my son would need an extraordinary amount of encouragement to get him to the point of even considering engaging in this voluntary summer commitment. Akwesi visited my son at school and at home prior to the summer holidays and built up a relationship with him whereby my son knew what to expect from the club and from Akwesi. Akwesi has clearly had a lot of success and experience working with troubled teenage youth, because he came in with the right attitude: energetic, positive, insistent and attentive. My son had a chance to express what activities he would like to do at the club, and these weren't simple activities to arrange such as go-karting and mountain biking. I was pretty taken aback when upon my son being picked up in the morning, the driver would tell me: "we are doing mountain biking today" or "today we have arranged climbing". I became aware that my son's wishes has been listened to quite closely, and I realised that this ethos would have been woven into daily social interactions and challenges that arise during the camp. I knew that there would be days that my son would not want to attend, or would not sleep well the night before. I envisaged arguments every morning to convince him to get into the transport that had been arranged. There were difficult mornings, but these were made easier with the peer support suggested by Akwesi: another lad that my son knew came into our house and encouraged him to attend. Other times the driver would come in and give encouragement. Sometimes my son went willingly without the need for encouragement to leave the house. I really didn't expect my son to engage beyond the first week. I knew that enough work had been put in by Akwesi to gain some engagement but I predicted that it would fall apart after a few days. I was wrong about that, yes my son had some days he refused to go: too tired or couldn't be bothered, but he went in most days throughout the 3 weeks. The drivers came back each day regardless and as a parent I felt totally supported. It's difficult arranging summer holiday activities for my son these days. He's full of energy but he ends up in trouble because the staff at 'normal' clubs can't cope with his needs. He refuses point blank to do anything he doesn't want to nowadays as he is almost 15. This means I'm now forced to accept that 'normal' clubs aren't an option for him. The Act To Improve camp was literally a life saver to my son this summer because it gave him not only something to do, but a camp that worked at just the time in his life when he needed this input. With peers facing issues similar to him, (some of whom he already knew), and staff who clearly knew how to engage with the most difficult to engage teens, I was amazed that my son continued to attend. I'm incredibly grateful to Akwesi and Act to Improve, for managing to engage my son at a point in his life when I am so worried about him falling into a life of drugs and crime. Had he not had this support, I am sure that we would have faced some trying social issues, and as a working, single parent myself, I would have been more unable to cope with the challenges alone. To be honest, the support from Act To Improve over summer, was a factor that lead to me transitioning from a state of parental burnout back into a stronger place. The mentor type attitude works, the not giving up attitude works, and having male role models works. Thank you, and I wish you all the best in continuing to deliver your invaluable services to the teens who are in such need of this exact support. Warmest regards. Parental feedback      
(Parental Feedback)

As regards feedback, My husband and I have nothing but praise for the time and effort you have given to Son (and the other boys) and hand on heart we can’t thank you and your team enough. These past few weeks have been lovely. Don’t get me wrong, there have been a couple of outbursts from xxxx, but nothing in comparison to the last 6 months. He really enjoyed attending the programme,(he got up…enough said!!) and the fact that he felt he could call you was a HUGE step forward for him. It would be great if we could keep in touch and if/when you run another programme in the future I am sure that xxxx would love to join you guys again. Once again a big thank you to everyone involved and I look forward to hearing from you very soon. Parental feedback
(Parental Feedback)

Yes I can confirm that the  just concluded program has had a positive impact on my son.  He's not coming home late and he is ready to go to school this Friday.  I'm just grateful to you and your team to making this possible. Thank you so much, God bless you all Parental feedback
(Parental Feedback)

We were impressed with the students' mature attitudes for the tasks set for them. The level of tasks were actually very challenging, but they showed determination to get the job done.  
Fire-Fighters Kevin Bamford & Colin Carswell (Milton Keynes)

I worked as theatre practitioner with Akwesi when he managed Restart. Our work enabled the young people to develop their personal, social skills alongside self-respect and self-reflection. Akwesi was at all times fair, firm, fun, fully involved and consistent with students and colleagues. I cannot recommend his work highly enough.
Caz Tricks, Drama practitoner

Akwesi is a vibrant and dynamic leader. He has an excellent rapport with both staff and students alike. Akwesi is passionate about improving the educational outcomes and life changes of young people through beahviour management. My time with Akwesi was, without doubt, the most supportive that I have ever experienced from a manager. He encouraged self reflection and personal development and I would recommend him whole heartedly, both as a Manager and a Behaviour Coach.
Justin King – Former Staff Member

Karen Griffith – SENCO and Educational Specialist | SEND and Inclusion | Communication and Content Creation | Health an Well-being