Creative YOUCreativity is everywhere. Opportunity is not. We are part of the solution. The secret is in our name. Every year Creative Youth Network gives thousands of young people a taste and thirst for the arts and culture and the joy, life-skills and opportunity they bring. But we want more. Creative YOU is our campaign showcasing how we, you and the engaged, emerging and amazing young creatives we support, come together. We want to reveal how, together, we are ambition, quality, cultural democracy and social mobility in action. Every young person deserves the right to access creativity and development opportunities in the creative and cultural industries. It all starts with education. If all young people have access to creative subjects in school, then talented young people from all backgrounds can pursue their passion, develop crucial skills needed in so many industries and improve their wellbeing. 1. Pledge Add your name and join the many people passionate about bringing creativity back into our schools. With all the pledges we’ll be reaching out to headteachers in Bristol and the South West. We hope this will encourage local academies to give more space to creativity in their curriculum. Bristol, being the creative city we know and love, can pave the way for other regions to do the same, showcasing the true value of creativity. PLEDGE 2. Sign up Join us by signing up to our newsletter where we share best practice of how to support young people. sign up 3. Find out more Join us by reading and sharing our CreativeYOU report which shows how our work brings opportunities for creative expression and enables young people to explore their talent, regardless of background or circumstance. Download our Creative YOU report About us Blog Our impact | Jan - March 2020 In the first quarter of 2020 (before lockdown) Creative Youth Network helped 2648 young people reach their potential. We believe everyone has the right to be the best they can be regardless of the barriers they face or their background. They might be the next Banksy or Brunel, they may be a great friend or mum, they might be a good lawyer or postman. Whatever it is everyone should have the opportunity to shine. But many young people face barriers to achieving that. We know that each young person is different and faces different challenges but as well as telling their stories we measure what we do at Creative Youth Network to make sure we are having a real impact. One to one support from qualified youth workers helps young people find and achieve their goals. From the practicalities of finding a home, to improving their mental health, this work focuses on the individual needs of young people and happens over a long period of time, making a real difference. As a result of this work, 166 young people got into education, employment or training. We also know another 91 improved their mental health significantly. Our groups include open access youth clubs and small groups helping young people to discuss their sexuality, sharing support for young carers or those in care or working with groups on the edge of violence or sexual exploitation. Young people's demographics 506 (19%) of the young people were from BAME backgrounds reflecting the ethnic makeup of the communities of Bristol and South Gloucestershire that we serve. 698 had ‘protected characteristics’ – this means things like eligibility for Free School Meals, Disability or those with Special Educational Needs. We know plenty more of our young people aren’t categorised in this way but have other barriers they face. Young people's achievements Much of the work done by Creative Youth Network is to help young people reach their potential. Young people tell us we succeed in this but we also measure 7 qualities that we know are at the heart of a successful life. They don’t guarantee success but the more you can work on these areas the better chance you have. We know this many young people have improved in these areas over the last quarter: Numbers don’t tell us each individual story but they help to explain what we do and how and help Creative Youth Network to learn how better to help young people reach their potential. Support vulnerable young people and donate now: Please select a donation amount (required) £15 Could provides a young carer an evening of fun activities, taking a break from their caring responsibilities £30 Could provide hot meals for 50 young asylum seekers and refugees to eat together during our weekly sessions £50 Provides a 1:2:1 session for a young person struggling with their mental health with one of our trusted youth workers Other Set up a regular payment Donate Manage Cookie Preferences How can we help?