Young people across London who have been excluded from school or are at risk of exclusion will be given a second chance to gain qualifications, thanks to a four year award to Vital Regeneration from the Big Lottery.

Vital Regeneration, a charity which works to transform London's most deprived neighbourhoods, has been given a £358,512 grant from the Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund towards its established Create+ programme, which offers young people an opportunity to learn about urban music production, film-making and graphic design.

Create+ is a creative learning programme with embedded literacy training for young people Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) or who are at risk of becoming NEET.  It is a targeted approach to supporting young people age 14-25, who have challenging behaviour and are very difficult to engage and motivate.  Without effective interventions to help, they are at risk of long-term social exclusion, with poor life chances and prospects.

Katy Haigh, Vital Regeneration’s Director of Learning said: “Create+ is ideal for young people are in referral units or who have left school or college with few qualifications and are struggling to find work or get back into education.  As well as being a fun and creative experience, Create+ helps people to focus on future goals and equips them with accreditations and leadership experience.  We find that young people really like the fact that they feel respected on the programme and they respond very well to the style of learning, which is practical and informal, quite different from mainstream education”

Create+ courses work with small groups, are 10-12 weeks long and provide participants with access to their own Apple Mac laptop, music keyboard and filming equipment.  Participants gain qualifications, such as the Bronze Arts Award and literacy accreditations and are given opportunities to visit events and exhibitions.  On completion the groups showcase their work at high profile events and develop leadership skills through sharing what they have acquired with peers.  The result is that the young people develop confidence and communication skills, helping them to re-engage in learning, find work or get onto an apprenticeship.

Staff at Aspire Education, an alternative education centre based at Quintin Kynaston School, in St John's Wood, have noticed a significant change in young people who have been excluded from mainstream Westminster schools, through attending the Create+ sessions.

Charli Faux, Pastoral Manager at Aspire Education, said: "Most of our students are very challenging and many are completely disengaged from learning, so it is vital that we find creative ways in which to engage them back into studying.  Create+ offers passion and enthusiasm which is infectious, even the most withdrawn or surly students have been brought out of their shells through working with the team.  I am always happy when I go to observe in one of their lessons and see not just great focus but also hear so much laughter! One student who began working with Create+ gained so much from the experience that he has gone on to record several tracks at a studio and has been accepted onto a music production course at Westminster College.  This student was falling behind in all subjects, apart from maths, and when things were very stressful at home and his attendance became very poor, we always knew we would see him on a Thursday because he would never miss a Create+ session."

Every year, Vital Regeneration hopes to inspire 150 young people to enhance their future prospects, employability and life chances via Create+.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

Vital Regeneration is a registered charity.  For more information about Vital Regeneration please visit www.vitalregeneration.org

Photos are available on request.  Below is a photo of Anslem Herelle with our two of our Create+ learners

Press enquiries:

Katy Haigh

Director of Learning

Vital Regeneration

1 Glasgow House

Lanark Road

Maida Vale Estate

London

W9 1QY

kchaigh@vitalregen.org

Tel no: 020 7245 2261

Mob:    07825 017 837

Fax: 020 7245 2203

Vital Regeneration: Winner of the 2008 UK Catalyst Award for Social Technology Innovation with Communities