Brighton & Hove Citizens celebrate an additional £200,000 investment in school-based counselling
Brighton & Hove Citizens celebrate an additional £200,000 investment in school-based counselling
Brighton & Hove Citizens is celebrating another major victory as Brighton and Hove City Council confirmed its wish to renew an annual £200,000 investment in mental health counselling for every secondary school in the city. This brings the alliance’s total wins on this issue to £600,000 - a remarkable achievement made possible by years of organised, patient, and persistent community leadership.
This latest success did not come out of the blue. It came because the alliance organised - and because the Council recognised the strength, legitimacy, and consistency of the campaign. After years of listening, developing a strategy, and acting together, this campaign has shifted what is considered normal and necessary for young people’s wellbeing. The Council has now agreed in advance that this vital funding should continue, acknowledging the power of this people-led movement.
Cllr Emma Daniel, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Youth Services at Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “We’re really pleased to confirm new funding to continue the mental health counselling service in schools. We want to pay tribute to Brighton & Hove Citizens, whose vibrant alliance of members have spearheaded this important cause. Council budgets are tight, but we're committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our children and young people. We look forward to continuing our strong working relationship with Citizens.”
Building on the momentum from the past three years, Brighton & Hove Citizens have now extended their work into a new area, emerging strongly from their 2025 listening: the role of technology and social media in shaping young people’s mental health.
From more than 1,600 conversations (see their report here), the alliance heard a clear message: young people feel under constant pressure online and often lack real-world spaces to connect, play, and belong. Developing proposals based on this listening, the alliance put these asks forward to Cllr Jacob Taylor. Together, they secured commitments to move forward on four key recommendations:
- Making Brighton & Hove a Playful City
A commitment to explore including a “playful city” pledge in Labour’s next election manifesto - putting creativity, connection, and joy at the centre of civic life. - Mapping What Already Exists
A joint effort with Brighton & Hove Citizens to map current opportunities for young people to meet and build friendships - assessing accessibility, affordability, and transport barriers. - Embedding Community Spaces in Future Housing
A commitment to continue shared work on housing to ensure new developments include meaningful community spaces, and to explore using Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy funds to improve access to play areas across the city.
“Brighton & Hove Citizens are delighted that Brighton and Hove City Council has once again honoured our call for counselling in every secondary school, reaffirming their commitment to the wellbeing and health of students across the city. We are proud to live in a place that takes young people’s mental health seriously, breaking down a known barrier to learning so they can be the happy, hardworking and thriving students we know they can be with the right support. This success is the result of our brilliant campaigning and of the Council listening to the needs of the city. We hope this leadership inspires national policy to follow.” -Shelley Baker, Headteacher at Varndean School and Co-Chair of Brighton & Hove Citizens
Brighton & Hove Citizens look forward to the next chapter of a campaign shaped by thousands of conversations across schools, faith groups, neighbourhoods, and community organisations. They are a testament to what happens when everyday people organise, build relationships, and use their power for the common good.
As the alliance celebrates this renewed funding, they also celebrate the deeper story behind it: community power works. And they are only just getting started.
We are Brighton & Hove Citizens. We organise to overcome injustice and win change on the things that you and your local communities care about most across the city.