Past Projects - Youthful Expression
Young people especially those at risk were becoming increasingly vulnerable to the messages from extremist elements.
We in partnership with Sparkbrook YIP and with support from Youth Music decided to create a project which engaged young people from the Sparkbrook area who had been registered with the Youth Offending Team and were part of the YIP’s clientele.
We designed a creative program using music and artistic expression where the young people could express their feelings in the music. Present at all the sessions was a mentor and a counsellor familiar with the Muslim religion and the issues concerned with extremism who would discuss the issues brought about whenever the young people expressed ideas which displayed elements of extremist ideology.
We also addressed issues affecting the young people. We built up a relationship with their parents, schools, youth centres they attend, police and other statutory services. These elements became part of our"Core Group" for each individual young person. We held regular meeting with the group and as well as helping the young express themselves we had a tutor on site helping them with their homework and a mentor helping the young people with personal and parental issues.
- We engaged 120 young people over a period of 24 months.
- 23 young people achieved a Level 1 or 2 qualifications.
- We put 17 young people through were experience in local businesses.
- 9 young people got full or part time jobs as a result of their work experience placements.
- 47 young people within the group took up music or art as methods of expression which contributed to them "moving away" fromextremism.
- 13 Young people who had been on the project and were regally excluded from school were able to finish their schooling after we developed partnerships with their schools.
Partnerships
- Birmingham City Council
- Sparkbrook Youth Inclusion Program
- Birmingham Youth Service
- Youth Music
- Waverly Secondary School
- Parkview Secondary School
- NCFE
