Virginia Haworth-Galt looks at the provision of arts initiatives for older young people.
When are you a young person? Apparently never, if we look at the term legally, because according to UK law you are a child up to the age of 18 and then an adult. The term is merely social and is commonly used to recognise that there is a transitional period between the two states. For most of us this is not the smoothest journey and for many it is a time marked by great difficulty. Since the 1970s, a fantastic range of youth arts initiatives and opportunities have been used in England to help young people find a route through to adulthood.
Youth arts recognises a desire to work with young people aged between 12 and 25. This is a massive age range as the needs of a 12 year-old are likely to be very different to the needs of someone who is 25. In reality, due to statutory changes impacting on youth arts, this age range is becoming increasingly redefined as 1319. It is now getting much trickier to access dedicated resources for older young people. Notably, the creative opportunities arising as a result of the Governments Youth matters Next steps for young people who are not in education, employment or training, are cut off at 19. Many trusts and foundations are mirroring this change in a gradual redefining of target age range.
With the steady move towards a funding and support focus on younger young people we are creeping towards the creation of a lost generation of older young people. Any at risk young person who hasnt managed to be plugged into the arts by the age of 19 will find it increasingly difficult to access opportunities. Seeking out and participating in standard adult provision for these young people is likely to be highly problematic as many of them still have very complex social and emotional needs. Without specialist infrastructure and support addressing their specific needs, the potential for the true impact and transformation of the arts is greatly reduced.
Some groups of young people need highly targeted support, and this need is likely to go on beyond the age of 19. The Youth Justice Board (YJB) has produced specialist arts-based materials and programmes in its PLUS Strategy Enrichment Programme. This is because it recognises that poor literacy and numeracy skills are a key risk factor for young people, increasing the likelihood of them becoming involved in youth crime. Because of the age remit of the YJB, these brilliant materials are not available for older young people. If basic skills have not been successfully addressed, then older young people will find it hard to break out of a situation where they are not in education, employment or training and this is likely to impact on their offending behaviour.
Looked After Young People leaving care are a highly vulnerable group. A recent survey by A National Voice (a care-leavers organisation) revealed that many felt fear, loneliness and a sense of loss. Those over the age of 19, who had been out of care for a number of years, felt this more acutely and would have valued ongoing support and contact.
Arts Council England is bucking this trend and is offering hope to help save the lost generation. After careful consideration, the decision was taken not to put 19 as the top age in their strategy, Children, young people and the arts. Instead of tying into a strict age range, the aim is to offer support from early childhood to young adulthood in recognition that some people need the door leaving open for longer. This means that youth arts organisations can put in applications for work with older young people through Grants for the Arts. Similarly, the guidance age range for Arts Awards has been increased to 25. Again, this recognises that some young people simply arent ready to participate by 19.
When putting together arts programmes and projects for older young people at risk, we should be aware of some specialist needs. These may include general confidence-building, support in basic skills (the ability to read, write and speak in English and to use mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general), provision of childcare and transport costs, and additional support towards team working and time building.
Virginia Haworth-Galt is Director of Artswork, an independent youth arts development agency.
e: virginia@artswork.org.uk
w: http://www.artswork.org.uk