Call out for artists delivering work with young people in West Mercia

Do you provide arts programmes or activities for young people at risk of offending?

Would you be interested in delivering work in Herefordshire, Shropshire or Worcestershire from 2020?

Arts in probation settings

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner is entering its fourth year of funding arts programmes in probation settings in Worcestershire.

Previous grants have been awarded to Worcestershire County Council and Severn Arts to support a range of arts activity – including ceramics, spoken word, filmmaking, acting, masked theatre, creative writing and metalwork – delivered to over 200 people in receipt of a court order. The programme is managed by Debbie Birch and Steve Wilson. You can watch a film of their previous work here.

Supported self-evaluation throughout the project has shown an improvement for participants in their mental health and wellbeing, managing emotions and living a crime-free life.

Expansion

On the back of this success, and following pilots in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) and community centres, Debbie and Steve are now hoping to expand the programme to arts interventions for young people at risk of offending – including those at risk of being involved in county lines activity.

The arts activity will form part of broader programme, led by an organisation responsible for the triage and mentoring support of those young people referred. Debbie and Steve wish to co-ordinate and project manage the arts offer, and would like to get in touch with artists able to provide this activity from across the West Mercia region.

This would all be part of a funded opportunity by the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, due to be tendered in the autumn.

To be in with the best chance of success, they are looking for artists with experience of working with young people in PRUs or youth justice settings, or with young people who may be at greater risk of becoming involved in child criminal exploitation. This could include, for example, experience of working with young people in care or with learning disabilities.

Expressions of interest

Debbie and Steve are interested in building a network of artists across West Mercia to develop the arts programme.

If you feel you have something to offer, please get in touch with details about your art form, your experience, your partnerships and your passion for this work.

The deadline for expressions of interest is Friday 6th September.