“A genuine guiding light for the children” – we recently sat down with a long standing friend of Matrix to hear why they love working with us and how they see Matrix inspiring young people.
Steve Smith – Headteacher, Guildford County School
What do you love about Matrix?
We’ve had a longstanding relationship with Matrix, they are a great benefit to us as a school, supporting the children with their mental health and the day-to-day challenges that they face.
The green hoodies are famous in school, it’s a really friendly, supportive signal of what Matrix has to offer. The children love that! The children recognise it and are really keen to work with the team.
Do Matrix just support your students in school?
The great thing is, they aren’t just about provision in school, they’re also about provision beyond the school, providing pastoral support for some of our harder to reach children and indeed their families.
When The Youth Hideaway opened its doors a couple of years ago, it became a firm base for young people outside of school provision, recognised by members of the local community, I think that was a sea change for what Matrix has been trying to offer. Many of our children will visit the cafe outside of school and that speaks volumes about what Matrix offers to Guildford.
Why is partnership with Matrix so important to you?
Matrix is a genuine help, a genuine guiding light for the children and they help us to focus on our primary function, which is to provide a great education. Working in partnership with Matrix we are able to work together to deliver a bright future for the children and young people we serve here in Guildford.