Make (Good) Trouble has built a network of support through projects and community groups, reaching families and young people in person and online.  

Our focus is on creating a wealth of free resources and expert help, giving families the knowledge and insights they need to build understanding and foster positive relationships.

For young people

Make (Good) Trouble runs clubs, workshops and creative programmes designed by and for young people. They have been commissioned by local authorities and as part of Sussex Police’s REBOOT programme. Our clubs combine practical activities, skills learning, and a safe place to relax, have fun, and belong. 

We have developed programmes for neurodiverse children who have been excluded from school, providing direct intervention support for young people, where a risk has been identified of being drawn into crime and violence. 

For REBOOT, Make (Good) Trouble carried out weekly interactive workshops delivered in four stages; Listen, Coach, Analyse and Acknowledge. A safe creative space gave young people the chance to speak their truths through the lens of digital media production and learn about the teenage brain. In its first year of launching, the REBOOT programme successfully deterred 823 young people away from becoming victims or perpetrators of serious violence. 

Our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programmes, commissioned by East Sussex County Council, have run in 2021 and 2022. Our HAF clubs are free to young people in receipt of free school meals, and provide young people in East Sussex with a safe, enriching environment in which to play, learn and unwind. There is a focus on active learning and nutrition with children and young people making food together. Find out more.

For parents and families

We have hosted a series of weekly, community-support beach walks for parents and carers of teenagers in Brighton and Hove. We got together for a walk, a coffee and a chat inviting professionals to join us so parents had the opportunity to get expert advice on a number of teen-related issues including eating disorders, LGBTQ+ issues, conflicts at home and more. This project is supported by the Sussex Care Partnership, Brighton & Hove City Council.

Our Raising Teens Facebook group, set up to help families during the pandemic, is a closed group, a safe space for parents of teenagers to share their experiences and provide support to each other. It has just under 2,000 members, who include experts in mental health support.

Over lockdown, we began a series of Facebook Live Q&As to help families cope with the unprecedented pressures and stresses they faced. Home schooling, anxiety, family arguments and loneliness were all issues that surfaced and were exacerbated by lockdown.