CEO's New Year Update: Tackling Changes and Challenges in 2026

Wow, 2026 is here already! We leave behind the Easter eggs, strawberries and mince pies of 2025 and get ready to do it all over again (have you noticed that Easter eggs are in the shops already?). It's an exciting and challenging start to the new year for the Sussex Pathways team, with current projects expanding, new projects on the horizon, and changes to the justice system's recall policy to navigate.

For me, this year brings with it a lot of unknowns, with a risk of chaos if we do not keep on top of all the changes coming our way. However, with our expert staff, I know that we will face everything head-on and make it work, as we have done year after year.

This quarter, Paula and I are looking forward to ACEVO Fest, where we will be meeting and hearing from other senior leaders in the civil society sector. We can't wait to spend two days sharing experiences, being inspired, and inspiring others (not to mention having a good lunch!). We also have Restorative Justice training coming up on the 11th, 12th, 16th, and 17th of February for those in our network who would like to gain their Foundation RJ certificate.

This year, we will be welcoming a new cohort of Social Work students who will spend 70 days with us as part of their degree, and we hope to welcome more volunteers to support the work that we do. We have a wide variety of voluntary roles available, with flexible hours to suit everyone, so if this is something you would like to explore in 2026, please contact Lisa - Lisab@sussexpathways.org.uk 

Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy start to the new year.