Empowering Youth Through Art: Start Easy

In collaboration with One Flow One Brent, the organisation is empowering young individuals through art and community engagement in Brent. Its team of skilled professionals offers a wealth of knowledge, skills, and experience to support initiatives of young people and the development of community ideas.

Boosting youth initiatives through art and creativity

OFOB has collaborated with Start Easy on delivering engaging educational programmes and activities for young people to support their development and growth. The Art for Rights Project, one of many Start Easy programmes, is a collaborative effort to engage young people of Church End and Stonebridge estates in positive activities to steer them away from drugs, violence, and gang involvement.

Our Art for Rights programme in Church End is doing very well as we had already worked with some of the participants across other projects in the past,” says Marco Ferrara, a Board Member at Start Easy. “The programme focuses on engaging both youth and adults, which enables them to create new connections, deepen trust and strengthen relationships,” he adds.

Through regular weekly sessions including crafty workshops and museum visits, the programme works with families collaboratively to enforce relationships and community building. The activities are also designed to empower young individuals to build confidence in resisting negative influences and to make positive choices about their lives. Young people and their families explore the importance of connecting with roots and understanding diverse cultures, develop cultural competencies among participants, and shape them into global citizens. As participants are encouraged to engage in decision-making processes, the Art for Rights emphasises the unity of its participants across the two locations.

“The programme is very impactful. Since coming to the workshops, my grandson has been able to recognise things that he normally would not,” says Alexis, the grandmother of 6-year-old Mikah, “I like that I can participate myself and get to know other parents. The programme does help us to interact with each other and strengthen relationships within the community,” she adds.

“Our children are always happy to come, they love the programme,” says Simona, the mother of 7-year-old Agostino and 9-year-old Franca, “every week, we learn something new. My son has never been into drawing, now he draws at home by himself all the time.”

Start Easy aims to deliver change within the communities and support the growth of its residents. Offering an increase in opportunities for self-expression, the programme encourages young people and their families to actively engage in community building and decision-making in the local environments.

“We noticed some solid groups within our programmes in both estates; families that never miss any sessions are becoming the very part of the programme,” says Ferrara, “however, our work with teenagers in Stonebridge is certainly more challenging. The area is particularly problematic due to its high rate of violence which on the contrary affects broader community and youth engagement.”

Start Easy's ongoing initiatives in Brent

Beyond the Art for Rights Project, Start Easy actively engages young people and children in Brent with a variety of programmes, including Youth club activities, educational support, 1:1 mentoring and more. These initiatives underscore the organisation's commitment to fostering creativity, skill development, and community involvement among the youth.

The collaboration between Start Easy and One Flow One Brent works towards empowering the younger generation through art, creativity, and community engagement. Together, they are shaping a future where young individuals not only thrive personally but also contribute positively to their communities and the world at large.