What is Louise up to behind the scenes?

The funding received by grants is intended for Take Part to directly grow their impact in supporting a strong and inclusive recovery from the pandemic and its effects.

At Take Part we encourage young people and adults of all backgrounds to participate in Creative Arts activities, addressing key life skills. Through outreach work, the Take Part team educate essential life skills through workshops in vulnerable communities and within schools, transforming lives by unlocking potential and addressing root causes of mental health issues and unemployment. All our outreach projects cover confidence building, resilience and character education, focusing on our linked Global Goals; Good Health and Wellbeing and Quality Education. Take Part serves as an invitation to belong, to join others in an alternative vision of our future, promoting creative communities.

The Take Part ‘Self-Esteem Teams’ are Specialist Coaches who work within schools and communities. Our Coaching provides the opportunity to nurture a persons natural abilities. These critical skills will enhance their self-confidence to engage and contribute fully, whether at school, in further education, at work or within the community.

With the cancellation of our usual fundraising events due to COVID-19, Take Part will encounter a shortfall of at least £35,000 in ticket revenue, cafe and bar revenue. These funds are critical in supporting the core costs of our charity work which focus on the needs of vulnerable communities with learning and physical disabilities, behaviour and emotional issues, people experiencing mental health conditions, communities facing health inequalities, the homeless and other vulnerable people or communities. The loss in fundraising opportunities has limited our services to deliver emotional and behaviour intervention but at a time when it is needed more than ever.

Over the past 6 years Take Part have been building strong relationships with the Senior Leadership Teams, Pastoral Teams, Transitions Teams and Family Support Workers of primary and secondary schools throughout the North West. With the help of funding we are able to set up workshops to support pupils exhibiting signs of mental ill health and emotional and behavioural issues, including the vulnerable and disadvantaged. The Take Part ‘Self-Esteem Teams’ are Specialist Coaches who work with young people struggling with Emotional Regulation, Resilience and Relationships, possible trauma as a result of COVID-19. The collaboration invites a dual approach in delivering a vocational stream of quality life skills education alongside the current academic routes, giving opportunities to those disadvantaged, allowing them to learn life skills to assist them in their learning journey. At Take Part we encourage young people of all backgrounds to participate in our activities which can be capable of addressing key issues affecting young people i.e. obesity, mental health. resisting drugs, managing stress and difficult emotions; understanding physical activity and addressing social inclusion through community integration. Peer interaction, social skills, mindset and empowerment are the main focus areas throughout our quality education at Take Part.

Our goal is to inspire children of all ages, from all walks of life in our workshops, helping them to find new hope and optimism in the current climate and reset their outlook to one of positivity and opportunity. Providing them with the appropriate life skills in this way nurtures their confidence so that they might apply it to their everyday life. For younger children, this provides confidence and self esteem and helps them to manage their anxiety. For older children, we believe it will enhance their chances of securing a place in further education, apprenticeships schemes and/or future employment.