{"id":51360,"date":"2025-09-08T12:29:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T12:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/brighton-hove\/?p=51360"},"modified":"2025-09-10T08:18:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T08:18:15","slug":"from-heartbreak-to-hope-launch-of-ourplace-learning-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/brighton-hove\/2025\/09\/08\/from-heartbreak-to-hope-launch-of-ourplace-learning-community\/","title":{"rendered":"From Heartbreak to Hope: Launch of\u00a0OurPlace Learning Community"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Brighton, September 2025\u00a0\u2013 When the sudden closure of the Self-Managed Learning College (SMLC)<\/strong> in Fishersgate was announced earlier this year, families, staff, learning advisers, and young people were left devastated. With only five weeks\u2019 notice, the community lost not just a place of learning, but a 24-year lifeline: a safe space where young people had felt respected, understood, and empowered to learn in ways that truly worked for them.<\/p>

Mainstream education had never been a suitable option for most of these students, and the loss of SMLC left families reeling – unsure where their children could now belong.<\/p>

But out of this heartbreak, a new chapter has begun. Parents, staff, and learning advisers have joined forces with determination and vision to create something extraordinary:\u00a0OurPlace Learning Community (OPLC)<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>

\"\"A New Beginning<\/strong><\/p>

This September,\u00a0OurPlace<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>opens its doors at\u00a0Brighton Youth Centre (BYC)<\/em>, becoming a new home for young people seeking meaningful, personalised education.<\/p>

OurPlace is a\u00a0non-profit, self-directed learning environment\u00a0where young people shape their own educational journeys. Guided by experienced Learning Advisers, the community encourages project-based and interest-led exploration – free from the pressures of testing, grades, or one-size-fits-all teaching.<\/p>

\u201cWhat we\u2019ve set out to do with OurPlace is simply to continue what we already know works: creating a supportive, learner-led community where young people can thrive. The need for this kind of space is greater than ever, and we are determined to make it available to even more families.\u201d\u00a0\u2013 Theo Hutchinson, Learning Adviser and founding member of OPLC<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>

Why This Matters<\/strong><\/p>

At its heart, OurPlace is built on the belief that every young person deserves a place where they belong. By offering a nurturing, flexible, and inclusive environment, OPLC ensures that no child is left without the chance to learn, grow, and find their voice.<\/p>

How You Can Help<\/strong><\/p>

As a non-profit, OPLC relies on community support to keep this vision alive. Donations, partnerships, and word of mouth are critical in sustaining this essential alternative provision.<\/p>