Alex Evans is an Arts Award adviser and works as a freelance arts practitioner. Alex runs Arts Award at a number of centres, including Wandsworth Young Carers, which is a project run by the charity The Carers Trust. The Wandsworth Young Carers Project supports children and young people aged 5 to 18 who are affected by the illness or disability of a family member and provide care for that family member.
Taking part in Arts Award gave these young people the opportunity to interact with their peers and forget their responsibilities of caring for a family member for a few hours a week. It also introduced them to the world of arts and culture and opened up new possibilities and opportunities for their future.
Alex ran both Bronze and Silver Arts Award simultaneously with a small group of 11 to 18 year old's. The sessions were weekly for about an hour and a half to two hours over the course of nine months. During the school holidays there was an intensive week-long session where the students were preparing for their arts activity.
Approach
For Part A (take part), the students working towards Bronze performed at outdoor events, taking part by acting at festivals and other local events in Wandsworth. These performances were then photographer for their portfolios.
The group visited the English National Opera for Part B (be the audience) of their Arts Award and wrote a review which they shared with the rest of the group. The review formed part of their portfolio.
Throughout the project, the young people’s portfolios were filled with drawings, photographs and writing. Technology was also incorporated; students filmed each other reviewing their theatre visit, and then edited their films. The films helped the students reflect upon their work.
For Part C (arts inspiration) the students produced ‘fact pages’ about their arts inspirations in a collage style, using the internet to research. They selected evidence of work they admired and created questions that they would ask their arts inspiration in an interview, summarising what they had found out about their arts inspiration and why they had chosen this particular person in the process.
For Part D (arts skills share) the students led games and warm ups during the outdoor performance rehearsals. They then videoed each other’s workshops and then edited them to make short, instructional videos on leading games and supporting each other. The students then reflected on and evaluated each other’s leadership skills and their confidence to facilitate the group.
The group working towards Silver Arts Award designed workshops which were longer in duration and more complex in delivery than the Bronze Arts Award students for Silver Unit 1 (arts challenge). These included graffiti art, mask making and fashion workshops.
For Unit 2 (arts leadership), the students working towards Silver developed plans for their workshops and created lists of the materials they’d need. For their arts leadership some of the students filmed the workshops and evaluated them, and then edited the footage to create films about how to be a successful leader.
Impact
The students gained a greater understanding of performance as well as learning how to reflect on their work. Their social skills also benefited as they became more and more accustomed to listening to each other and working together. They learnt to be empathetic and they learnt to work as a team rather than as individuals. Their literacy skills also improved as a result of working towards their Arts Award.
Comments
‘I’m proud of my Bronze Arts Award. Now I can get further in life. It will help me with my GCSE's and college.’ Rio, 12
‘I’m very proud of getting my Arts Award. I’m proud of all the work. I’d like to do another Arts Award. If not another Silver, then Gold!’ Che, 14
‘Arts Award empowers young people to explore new areas of their creativity, forge new relationships and reflect on their experiences.’
Alex Evans, Arts Award adviser and freelance arts practitioner