This campaign has now closed
In an area blighted by generations of unemployment we want to transform the community with our personal development training and see it embodied in a series of young people-led community projects. Activate! will lift "at risk" young people out of a culture of cynicism and dependence.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
In our work in Sunderland we have found intergenerational unemployment fostering apathy and a culture of dependence. There is also disconnection between many young people and the adult population of the city and, for young people in particular, a link between the lack of an adult figure and the inability to form and sustain positive relationships with peers and adults which form the basis of an independent and sustainable life.
Solution
There is a clear need for activities led by young people and evidence that, given the support, young people are willing and able to create them. Standard approaches are directed at alleviating the symptoms of the problem, helping young people "manage" and "cope" with their situation, creating cycles of dependency. Working together with specialist partners and agencies our approach enables young people to confront the root causes of why they think, feel and act the way they do.