Flagz In The Community
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ENGAGING FUTURES
The aim of our project was to work with and mentor the young people at Trinity House Community Resource Centre in Rusholme Manchester and Holford Drive Sports Hub in Birmingham by using the hook of Carnival Arts to explore issues within our community, the participants used this opportunity to focus on things that were important to them. Our youth facilitators and mentors helped participants to dig deep to explore the issues that they highlighted but to also come up with positive solutions via creative expression.
They explored: Identity, Imagination, History, Liberation and Growth. Creative writing, choreography and different creative practice were introduced and used to bring the project to life.
The community and participants families have seen the value of the young people having a creative and reflective environment to work in. The sessions enabled young people to explore their own identities and culture and share this work with families and peers. For many participants life can be uncertain and variable - we therefore focused on how the project could help them grow in confidence, skills, talent and be proud of sharing this within their support networks and to their peers. The project further solidified our position as a positive setting for young people experiencing behavioural difficulties, as we have given young people young people the chance to learn in an environment that is outside their traditional learning settings and meet peers that they can grow up with in the future.
The deeper benefits we hope, are that through positive experiences in activities outside of school, providing alternative safe, fun and creative spaces for young people, that will help them to become more resilient, confident, and happier citizens as they grow up. The change in some of our young people`s behaviour during the project was unprecedented and highlights how positive action and youths led projects can inspire and support change in children`s overall well being.
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It was a great honour working with Tuff Gong and Island Records on hosting the first ever Bob Marley Float at Notting Hill Carnival 2023. In celebrating the launch of the album AFRICA UNITE.
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