Summer Arts College

Project: Summer Arts College

Funding: £360,000 from the Arts Council England and Youth Justice Board

Aim: To bridge the gap between the school years for young people who have offended

The Summer Arts College was an Arts Council England initiative run in conjunction with the Youth Justice Board (YJB) in 17 locations during the summer holidays. The idea was that an intensive six-week arts programme would help young people who are on the fringes of education to increase their literacy and numeracy skills and decrease the likelihood of re-offending.

Lorna Digweed, youth arts co-ordinator at Wessex Youth Offending Team, was involved in the Wessex project, which worked with six 15- to 17-year-olds on Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Orders or Detention and Training Orders.

"We wanted to make these young people feel like they could achieve something and decided to hold it at Southampton University because we wanted to raise their aspirations," she says.

The young people spent each of the six weeks working with a different type of material including metal and paper. Those who completed the course achieved their Arts Award, which they received at a ceremony with YJB officials and family members. The project also worked to help participants with their literacy and numeracy in a bid to give them a leg up back into education.

"It's had an impact on them and whether they go back into education or training," Digweed says. "It's definitely had a positive outcome. The project was an effective way of engaging with these young people and getting them back into education."