ABOUT US
B.E.S.T Project was established by Bridie Garnham and Emma Speer in 2020. Bridie and Emma met whilst working for West Sussex Youth Justice Service (YJS). They became close colleagues and friends as a consequence of sharing the same values and principles when working with young people.
Bridie and Emma have gained experience of working with young people from a range of backgrounds; some have been in care and the majority have been impacted by traumatic experiences. The persistent exposure to these harmful experiences resulted in many of the young people suffering Developmental Trauma, presenting with different behaviours, needs, risks and vulnerabilities. As Youth Justice Officers, Bridie and Emma completed training to understand Developmental Trauma and trauma-informed practice. The trainings theory really resonated with them and they subsequently embedded the principles of trauma-informed practice into their work. Their shared belief and passion to change this led to the creation and management of their own trauma-informed project to support young people in care. By combining their wide range of skills, knowledge, and experience, as well as their core values, this vision became B.E.S.T Project.
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BRIDIE GARNHAM
Director
Bridie is a qualified and registered Social Worker, having achieved a BA Honours Degree in Social Work at University of Sussex. She has ten years’ experience working in different sectors within children’s social care, including residential care, and has significant experience of working specifically with looked after children. On completion of her degree, Bridie became a Social Worker for a Looked After Children Team. Bridie gained experience of working with complex and high-risk young people, as well as making decisions regarding their care, accommodation, and legal status. Bridie then joined West Sussex Youth Justice Service; she worked in the Intensive Interventions Team, specialising in managing high risk young people on Court Orders. This role required the ability to form positive working relationships, co-create individually tailored plans to promote desistance, deliver intensive intervention, and continually assess young people’s risk and welfare needs.
EMMA SPEER
Director
Emma completed her higher education at University of Portsmouth and achieved a BSc Honours Degree in Criminology and Forensic Studies in 2012. She then became a qualified Probation Officer, after completing a Graduate Diploma in Community Justice and Level 5 Diploma in Probation Practice in 2014, and worked in the adult Criminal Justice System for over five years. In 2017, Emma started a secondment at YJS and, in 2018, was formally employed as a Youth Justice Officer. Emma has extensive experience in community-based supervision of adults and young people, risk management, forming positive relationships with complex individuals, safeguarding, writing comprehensive court reports/assessments and multi-agency work. Emma was also the lead for Modern Slavery in the YJS and has significant experience of working with young people that have been impacted by Child Sexual and Criminal Exploitation.