A Southport initiative helping young people develop confidence, communication skills, and experience of working life is returning for a second year, following positive feedback from students and education professionals.
White Rabbit Academy was founded by Sarah Jackson, Managing Director of Hatter’s Digital Agency, to help bridge the gap between education and employment by giving young people opportunities to work alongside local businesses and industry professionals.
The first programme was delivered in partnership with Southport Education Group, supporting 14 Digital T Level students through five months of mentoring, practical projects, and professional engagement.
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With the backing of Sefton Council, the Academy was based at Eastbank in Southport, bringing young people and local businesses together to develop skills, build connections, and explore career opportunities. The initiative reflects the wider ambition behind Eastbank: creating a space where enterprise, collaboration, and opportunities for the local community can thrive.
Student self-assessments from the first cohort showed improvements in seven of eight measured skill areas, including a 28% increase in presentation skills and a 23% increase in confidence speaking to unfamiliar people.
Following the success of the inaugural programme, Southport Education Group has commissioned a second cohort.
Helping young people discover their potential
White Rabbit Academy was created in response to a challenge faced by many young people entering employment: developing the confidence and professional skills employers expect, often without having had the opportunity to experience a working environment.
Through workshops, mentoring, independent projects, and presentations, students are encouraged to communicate with professionals, solve problems, manage their own work, and develop confidence in their abilities.
Madeleine Greenwood, Head of Employer Partnerships at Southport Education Group, praised the students’ engagement and progress.
“To get the levels of engagement that you did, was outstanding,” she said.
“The confidence and capability of them all was amazing. And to see them self reflect, and comment on how they could improve was wonderful.”
Creating opportunities for more young people
Alongside the Academy, Hatter’s has developed close relationships with local schools and colleges through its commitment to providing welcoming and supportive workplace experiences for students with different needs.
That experience has led to discussions with Southport Education Group about exploring a more accessible version of the Academy for young people who may find traditional work placements challenging.
The aim is to complement existing work experience opportunities by offering additional ways for students to develop the confidence and skills needed to take their next steps towards employment.
Sarah Jackson said:
“Young people have so much to offer, but they don’t always have the confidence or connections to recognise the opportunities available to them.
“We created White Rabbit Academy to give students the chance to work with real businesses, develop professional relationships, and discover what they’re capable of.
“What we’ve seen from the first year has been incredibly encouraging, particularly the way students have grown in confidence and become more comfortable engaging with employers.
“Not every young person will thrive in the same environment, and I think businesses have a responsibility to recognise that. Sometimes making an opportunity more accessible can make an enormous difference to what someone gets out of it.”
Building on local partnerships
The Academy is now looking to extend its reach to more schools and colleges, while encouraging local businesses to get involved through mentoring, industry engagement, and sponsorship.
The support of Sefton Council and Southport Education Group has been an important part of establishing the programme, and Hatter’s hopes to build on those relationships as it develops further opportunities for young people across the region.
“There’s a huge amount of talent in Southport and the surrounding area,” Jackson added. “We want young people to recognise that there are businesses and career opportunities right here, and to feel confident about exploring them.
“By bringing education and employers closer together, we can help young people develop the skills, connections, and confidence to take those first steps.”
Sarah Jackson was named Employer Partner of the Year 2026 by Southport Education Group in recognition of her contribution to supporting young people and working with education providers.
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