STUDENTS from an academy took control of their future at a series of workshops at their school.

Year nine, ten and 11 pupils at Alec Hunter Academy, on Stubbs Lane, Braintree, were visited by Essex Collaborative Outreach Network as part of its new Make Happen campaign.

Classes of kids from under-represented groups were shown how they can make their future brighter by PurePotential and Kamal Ellis-Hyman, a previous Olympic torch bearer and Peter Jones entrepreneur of the year.

Make Happen has reached 678 youngsters across Essex, with 81% feeling they understood more about the support available to them after the workshops.

Clare Pipe, work related careers co-ordinator at Alec Hunter School, said: “Students who took part in the workshops left feeling incredibly positive.

"They said that Make Happen made them realise the skills and qualities they have and the simple steps they can take to achieve their goals.

"They felt more positive about the future and inspired enough to realise they can achieve anything they want to.”