With over one-million young people aged from 16 to 24 in the UK not in education, employment or training (NEET) according to the Office for National Statistics, Trinity's creative learning courses have historically provided a vital route back into learning for disengaged young people.
Trinity has been a youth training provider since 2005 and courses have become increasingly popular - working with up to 60 young people in a year across various learning programmes, combining creative-arts activities with more formal learning and accreditations.
We feel it is important to ensure that we continue to provide musical educational opportunities to young people who may otherwise not engage with mainstream provision in the city, as explained by our Patron, Miriam Margolyes OBE, "These days, the Arts have to fight for their place in our society & I saw when I visited Trinity that it is not only committed to encouraging & fostering the Arts in Bristol, but also to ensure young people from diverse backgrounds experience all aspects of Art & enable them to realise their dreams."
Between 2012-2014, 98 young people took part in Trinity's Youth Music project, with over half of the young people (57%) coming from local wards and 40% from BME backgrounds. 28 young people were able to achieve a Rockschool accreditation.
In 2015 Trinity worked with 68 young people across our ESF funded provision, drop-ins, 121s and outreach sessions.
Changes to provision
Trinity previously worked as part of a consortium led by the City of Bristol College through their 'Faculty for Foundation Education' - a consortium recognised by the Beacon Award for Widening Participation in 2010. Unfortunately Trinity, alongside a number of other community-based learning providers, no longer be receives funding to deliver training courses due to changes in the College's own funding. Between 2013-2015 we worked with Weston College to deliver training with European Social Fund (ESF) support, however this contract has also come to an end.
In the interim, Trinity has been using small project grant funding to continue our youth delivery. We have been working with Colston Hall's Third Space group to deliver activities for young people as well as existing project activity including 121s with Include and YOT and outreach sessions with the Teenage Cancer Trust. We have also developed a successful series of exclusive to Trinity master classes / Q&A sessions with artists as diverse as Devin Townsend, Jack Garratt and Nitin Sawnhney, which we are keen to continue.
Emma Harvey, Centre Manager at Trinity said; “We're receiving calls from referral agencies, parents and young people about our course, so it's disappointing that, at present, we are unable to offer them places on the structured course of their choosing. It's a great shame – but, I suppose, our story is just one of a number of successful youth programmes that have now been placed into positions of uncertainty following ongoing cutbacks to grass-roots training provision.”
Trinity is committed to delivering a varied and comprehensive youth training programme as a key activity for the community and are currently seeking alternative funding to continue to offer this provision.
If you are interested in supporting The Trinity Youth Training Programme or to find out more visit our Just Giving page or text TYTP99 £[and the amount you would like to donate] to 70070
“Trinity is important for me because it keeps me off the streets and gives me the space and time I need to express myself through my music and lyrics. It has helped me build my confidence in areas I wasn't sure about before and has challenged me to try things I don't usually do. They also helped me get a work experience placement at a local radio station that enabled me to get my music heard. I first came to trinity at a very tough time in my life and feel without their help my life would be very different now". Student feedback, 2015
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