Local charity Poetic Unity has launched a new youth employment and mental health project in Lambeth and Southwark. The Poetic Relief Project, a partnership between Poetic Unity, Black Cultural Archives and Theater Peckham, has received £ 360,000 in funding from the National Lottery.
Youth employment program, supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, the UK’s largest funder of community activities, is launched in London to provide young people with new opportunities to find employment in the creative industries .
Led by Poetic Unity, with support from Black Cultural Archives and Theater Peckham, the partnership aims to benefit thousands of young people across the UK who have seen their employment chances and their mental health suffer because of the pandemic.
Beginning in early August 2021, The Poetic Relief Project will provide programs and services to support youth mental health, personal development and community cohesion. The Poetic Relief project will result in the Youth Employment Program “Cultural Leaders” which will enable the three charities to train and give 12 young people jobs in the creative industry each year for the next three years, where they will learn the skills. daily operations of each charity.
The Youth Employment Program “Cultural Leaders” starts in September 2021 and young people between the ages of 18 and 30 can find out more about this exciting program by contacting [email protected] with the title “Cultural Leaders”.
Ryan J. Matthews-Robinson, Founder and CEO of Poetic Unity, said:
“Poetic Unity has been at the heart of the community for six years, supporting and uplifting thousands of young people during this time. Since the start of the pandemic, young people have found themselves unemployed at an alarming rate and have struggled for their mental well-being. Fortunately, we were able to support many young people across the UK during the pandemic, but we have always been limited in the services we can provide due to lack of resources. “
“The Poetic Relief project will allow us to employ young people as part of our Young Cultural Leaders Employment Program and provide more services than ever to more young people. With the money raised by National Lottery players, we are delighted to start and work with our partners Black Cultural Archives and Theater Peckham to continue to provide significant support to communities across the UK.
Suzann McLean, CEO and Artistic Director of Theater Peckham, said:
“The Poetic Relief Project will create opportunities for young people to learn with us as facilitators and participants of regular oral creation workshops. Following the success of the workshops in 2020, in partnership with Poetic Unity, we are committed to providing a stimulating environment for young people to develop their skills and express themselves, with a platform to showcase their work.
“The Youth Employment Program for Cultural Leaders will develop animation and production skills, providing them with paid experience early in their careers. Our doors are open and we are ready to begin this new journey with Poetic Unity and Black Cultural Archives as we support UK youth in the arts sector with paid opportunities for development and growth. ”
Arike Oke, Managing Director of Black Cultural Archives, said:
“The Black Cultural Archives are home to British black history, and part of our 2030 strategy is to change Britain’s cultural workforce, to ensure that there are opportunities. for black people at every stage of their careers. This collaboration with Poetic Unity and Theater Peckham is a fantastic opportunity for young people to gain experience in our unique cultural settings.
Abdou Sidibe, Deputy Director of Partnerships at the National Lottery Community Fund, said:
“We are incredibly proud to support this exciting partnership, which will enable young people across the country to improve their mental well-being and their employment prospects.
“The National Lottery funding is there to help people and communities thrive and prosper – it is through the players that we are able to fund this important work. We look forward to seeing the positive impact the Poetic Relief Project will have on the lives of young people.
For young people aged 12 to 30, they can sign up for the many services and programs run by The Poetic Relief Project, which was only made possible by players of the National Lottery, by following the social media identifiers for updates :
