Power of shape
YOUNG WOMEN LEADING THEIR LIVES
In 2023, we want to work to empower the grassroots organisations to lead on the design and delivery of youth leadership with 2 cohorts of young women.
We recognise that working closely with trusted organisations we can centre the impact and legacy of this work with the young women themselves. In this project the young women are role models, influencers, and facilitators of change. Listening to the young women engaged in designing this work, we have named the project The Power of Shape.
This programme supports young women on their leadership journey to identify, develop and support their skills and confidence, through a bespoke and tailored programme that includes formal training, experience days / visits, mentoring and support.
The Power of Shape programme will recognise success in all forms, working with young women over a period of 8 months to explore their communities, their local place and environment and the wider City; learning from each other and trusted adults to identify and achieve their goals.
The learning from the Next Gen project in 2022, was that success takes different forms for different young people and the outcomes were varied, from young people graduating with accredited youth leadership qualifications, through to people reporting they had greater focus and confidence in all aspects of life.
The project will be developed on a bespoke basis based on the needs of 20 targeted young women aged 14 – 25 years over 8-month period.
WHO IS THIS FOR?
The event will be open for ages 11-16.
The dates that have been selected are key dates where it is likely there may be an increase of ASB based on evidence from previous years.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
A full day workshops and presentations from young people to the services that has or will impact young people and their families.
Recruitment
Saalik youth project and Reach Up have collaborated on recruitment to identify individuals with the highest need and most likely to respond positively to the program. Numbers will be limited to 15 individuals in each program to provide a personalised bespoke experience with high impact.
Introduction
Both organisations to run an informal session to introduce the program whilst having fun to build initial rapport. This session will include a training needs analysis by way of games and informal discussions.
Training
Young people complete a training program to develop them as leaders, help them to explore their future aspirations and to encourage them to support their peers and community.
RESIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITY
Young people will get the opportunity to explore a different space and to spend time together to consolidate their learning as a group.
LOCAL DELIVERY
Each young person can volunteer at a community session delivered by Saalik Youth Project and Reach Up and accumulate volunteering hours. This allows them to put into practice skills, knowledge gained from training.
SOCIAL ACTION AND YOUTH VOICE
Each young person is tasked with planning and if possible, delivering a social action project in their community which may involve planning a mini project that offers a new activity or tackles a local issue.
CELEBRATION
This could include a celebration event/festival including families with all young people presented with certificates.
TRAIN THE TRAINER
The project will also provide the opportunity for a train the trainer model- as each lead will work with a junior youth leader to train them alongside their delivery, so that this course could be replicated with further cohorts of young people.
Outcomes
- Increase the confidence of young people
- Raise aspirations of the young people involved in the project
- Provide support and mentoring to young people who are uncertain about the direction they are wanting to take next
- Allow young people to meet other young people from across the city in a supportive and positive environment
- Give young people ownership of what the project looks like and empower them to make decisions and to help them plan and evaluate the project to develop their own skills
- Support young people to identify their own strengths and weaknesses and track their volunteering journey in their portfolio
- Give young people the skills to help them look after their own wellbeing and lead a healthy lifestyle
- Provide a range of workshops and training opportunities to stretch and challenge young people which can be included on their CV
- Celebrate young people’s successes, especially for those young people who don’t often get praise from home or school
