Projects with Care Experienced Young People
353 care experienced young people completed an Element project, with over 150 more taking part in at least one workshop with us.
Amongst the outcomes participants reported, the most common were: feeling more positive about themselves; being more open to new experiences; being more comfortable with working in a group and meeting new people; and seeing themselves as more creative.
We delivered projects with care experienced young people in 14 London boroughs: Richmond, Kingston, Haringey, Hackney, Westminster, RBKC, Brent, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets, Hammersmith and Fulham, Lewisham, Islington, Harrow, and Barnet.
We held showcases at: The Photographer’s Gallery, the V&A, the Saatchi Gallery, Tate Britain, City Hall, Battersea Arts Centre, Wembley Stadium, Soho Theatre and more.
“I think that’s the greatest part of being part of Element, is that it gives everyone a chance of a breather to understand themselves a bit more; whether it’s identifying what they define as success, what are your strengths, kind of understanding perspective is that everyone is the same but also quite different.”
“It is very important to help young people, especially young people like me who have no one in this country to have places like Element to go. I have been able to celebrate my strengths, family and culture which has been nice whilst making something which I can keep to remind me of this.”
Creative Communities
From 2022 to 2023 alone, 76 young people participated in an opportunity through Creative Communities across 192 different touch points including: 23 Youth Champion and Youth Consultant opportunities; 20 creative drop-ins; 2 culture clubs; 10 trips to shows and exhibitions; 7 successful referrals to creative partners; one-to-one support sessions.
“What motivates me to carry on coming is that I get more insight into different communities. I’m not necessarily the only person who’s experiencing something in this world and doesn’t quite know what he’s doing.”
“The challenge originally was in confidence. I had been a part of Element as a young person and care leaver, but I had never taken on the responsibility of running activities. I overcame this by repeatedly trying again and again. I persevered with the help of my co-facilitator and built the foundation needed to use that confidence.”
School Projects
Over the years we worked with 559 young people through our school projects, across both primary and secondary. We evaluated our schools projects with a self-efficacy questionnaire completed before and after the project, alongside qualitative feedback. After completing an Element project: 74% of young people experienced a positive change in their overall perceived self-efficacy; 80% felt more confident in their ability to make decisions; 80% felt they had been more interested in new things; 77% reported feeling more confident.
“I have a lot more confidence, also in my everyday life. If I didn’t agree with something I often wouldn’t say anything but now I step up more.”
