As we approach the end of the year, I cannot help but reflect on just how successful the past 12 months have been due to the kindness, generosity and support from so many people. Throughout 2010, the plan has been not to ask, but to listen, to partner and to learn. The support that has been gifted to give BRIT a platform has been quite extraordinary and we have yet to launch or ask anyone for donations or financial support. We know where we want to be and what we want to do and as we enter 2011, the main effort will be to ask the National Media to give their support to deliver the key messages.Over the past two and a half years the National Media have been the vital link to ensure success in my endeavours and challenges. The BBC Documentary, the interviews on the news channels, coverage on radio stations and the articles in the national press have provided positive exposure, information and education as to the reasons why support has been needed to influence and change things for the better. As BRIT moves forward and approaches a late January launch, I am striving to ensure that there is complete understanding of what BRIT stands for and why we need to deliver inspiration and hope. The collective force of the National Media can make things happen and I hope and believe that together, we can do this again.
BRIT is a charity and at the core is the future Centre of Inspirational Excellence; a building to act as a beacon for Young People facing Adversity that will encompass and encourage every sector of society to become involved. At the heart of this will be High Profile Inspirational Mentors who engage with BRIT and represent their sectors. For BRIT to be a charity for charities, in addition to learning, we must share best practice, work together and empower, educate and enthuse Young People facing their difficult and dark times. This will be achieved by partnering with charities and their CEOs advising BRIT.
There are 600,000 Young People under 25 who are facing adversity and only 1 in 4 over 26s who have a disability are in full time employment. I am driven and determined to not only support our wounded, but engage with all those young people with physical or mental disabilities, young carers, those with medical conditions or young carers who need the opportunity to live life to the full.
Young People who are struggling to come to terms with difficulties in life or are facing their dark times, need empathy, understanding and need to see that opportunities exist and we must inspire, enthuse and open doors that are sometimes either forced shut or hard to open.
BRIT is not about duplicating effort, it is not about competing with other charities and it is not about working independently. To build the Centre and commence funding opportunities, we will engage with philanthropists and visionary organisations to build the Centre with us and allow the public to continue supporting their chosen charities, rather than take their revenue streams away. Should we receive donations, I would be delighted, but the Centre will be a legacy post-2012 and I aspire to engage with Government Departments to link Education, Sport, Culture, Environment and Health to fuse together the support we will be providing for Young People facing Adversity.
BRIT aspires to create hope and deliver inspiration by bringing together High Profile and Inspiring Figures and asking them to deliver to those Young People facing Adversity what is a very special gift; the ability to inspire, provide hope and that one moment when a Young Person feels they can achieve. As we enter the New Year when resolutions are made and we set goals and targets for 2011, I will ask Inspirational Figures across Great Britain from every sector of society to join forces and inspire our Nation by sharing their gift with Young People – not only do they have the ability to enthuse Young People to be part of BRIT, but by creating a snowball effect, they have the power to galvanise Businesses to partner with us, to create a vision in a British Centre of Inspirational Excellence that they will have helped build and make 2011 a year of inspiration – they have a very special gift and I believe this will happen. Everything is Possible.
http://www.britinspiration.org.uk/