Making young people our priority

Hybrid Arts are no strangers to case studies, and have been previously visited by a cross-section of organisations to look at how we engage young people and in particular, NEETS, including:

- Becta (British Educational Communications and Technology Agency) – July 06, looking at how we engage the disengaged through technology.

- Two Four Learning – an educational media production company, developing films, websites and DVDs specifically for the education world, were asked to help Becta disseminate the results of the latest research taking place in schools all over the country. Two Four approached Hybrid Arts to document the innovative work we do with NEETS, following on from a previous Hybrid Arts case study into this area, conducted by Becta.

- Coventry and Warwickshire Co-operative Development Agency – how social enterprise can empower young people and boost the economy.

- Lancaster University, Department of Educational Research – to consider the experiences of those who support the 16 to 18 year old population with NEET status, and whether technology could support this group.

Below are a few case studies of young people we have worked closely with, which we feel illustrate our best practice.

Making a positive contribution

Otis, Aged 18

Otis was one of the Lyrical Pranksters – a group of friends who walked in off the street and wanted to get involved with Hybrid Arts in 2005. The friends had heard about Hybrid Arts through word of mouth – all they wanted to do was make music. The problem was, they should have been at school. The first thing we did was take their names, ages and postcodes and contacted their schools to let them know where they were.

Otis, along with 3 students from Campion School asked to make a film about gun crime. After some consultation the Head of Campion, Andrew Chubb, agreed to fund an after-school club. This had an incredibly positive impact on the young people, and the resulting video Germaine and Gary has been a huge success.

Otis came back to do work experience at Hybrid Arts in 2007, undertaking some key research for our music project, Indestructible Music Club, acting as an ambassador for Hybrid Arts at a Young Enterprise Day in Coventry and making new music.

We have been so impressed with Otis’s progress that we asked him to come back and work with us again. He is currently contributing as a Peer Mentor on our 3-year Youth Music funded project, Hybrid Musical Youth, engaging young people from different backgrounds, who may not have benefited from mainstream or private musical education and bringing them together to learn about music making and producing. Otis’s role in this project is crucial to its success, engaging and inspiring his peers to achieve and giving them the confidence to learn new skills and achieve.

Otis continues to pursue his own creative ambitions, producing music and lyrics, and is currently undertaking a BTEC National Diploma in Music Technology at Warwickshire College. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3lkGXsXfIs&feature=channel_page

Enjoying and achieving

Ryan, Aged 16

Ryan was referred to Hybrid Arts as part of the Re@ctiv8 programme – a 14-16 re-engagement programme aimed at providing personalised learning around the creative technologies.

Ryan was at very high risk of being excluded from school, and Hybrid Arts was seen as a last resort to engage him. However, at Hybrid Arts, we saw a totally different side to Ryan – his behaviour has always been mature and considered, and his work is often productive. We think this change in behaviour is a direct result of engaging in creativity.

As part of his 2-year training at Hybrid Arts, Ryan has been undertaking Level 1 and Level 2 NCFE qualifications in Interactive Media and Music Technology. We thought these qualifications would be beneficial for Ryan’s personal progression, with the aim of getting him back on track in school, for the following reasons: Music Technology and associated activities are proven to improve skills in literacy and numeracy because of the processes involved, such as placing beats on a grid that is measured in multiples of numbers, unconsciously practising mathematical routines whilst programming beats, listening more effectively and team working, using menus and commands in software to achieve an aim. Interactive Media is a major part of the future and students that are fluent in these software and processes will be more technically compatible with employers in the changing world of work as the systems we use are digitised and become web based. There are also obvious benefits for developing literacy and key skills.

Over the course of the programme, Ryan’s confidence and creativity has steadily grown. He never fails to complete tasks given and positively engages in lessons, getting his head down to focus on his work. Ryan’s progress is motivated through his particular passion for music, and he is very focused on understanding the elements of both music composition and studio production. Ryan’s hard work has created a number of positive progression opportunities, and he has developed a firm idea on the roles and employment opportunities/prospects within the music industry.

Ryan’s confidence increased to such a degree that he felt good enough to get involved with one of Hybrid Art’s creative projects, Extraordinary Cycles. Ryan volunteered at the project’s major launch event, acting as an ambassador for Hybrid Arts. But perhaps Ryan’s biggest achievement has been to make a music video. His teachers at school were so impressed with the work that they decided to premiere it at a school event – Ryan was initially unsure about this, but after seeing the fantastic reaction from peers, teachers and parents, he had a massive confidence boost and this has propelled him to work harder to finish his qualifications at Hybrid Arts. http://www.youtube.com/hybridfilms#p/u/6/zAG4fkq2RZA

The school are pleased with his achievements and they have witnessed him progress in leaps and bounds into a mature and responsible young man. This recognition has given Ryan a sense of pride in himself and his work.

Ryan recently had the confidence to shine at an interview for a course at Warwickshire College, and he successfully gained a place on their Interactive Media programme, which he is due to start in September.

Positive Progression

An ex-student, Matt Miller, came in to say thank you for our support and to share in his news of finding a job at a DJ store in Birmingham – a foot into the door of his dream career. Matt originally came to Hybrid Arts as a NEET on our Music Technology Programme.

Staying Safe and Making a Positive Contribution

CASE STUDY – THE TAMING OF THE CREW

The Taming of the Crew is one of Hybrid Arts’s most challenging stories of our work with a group of young men who were notorious in the Lillington borough of Leamington Spa, who formed a gang known as LYC. Ten members of this gang self-referred to the our Music Technology programme in 2005 – a 36-week Learning and Skills Council funded franchise to Warwickshire College for NEETs aged 16 – 19.

These self referring young men, aged between 16 and 18, formed a volatile group that, at times, seriously challenged Hybrid Arts and the Connexions staff downstairs. For example, within the first week of training, issues such as spitting at Connexions workers, giving false names and the burning of initials on the ceiling of the hallway became part of the whole fire fighting experience of having them in the building.

The Hybrid methodology was stretched to the full with this group, and we had to improvise upon usual practice to cope with individual challenges and respond to individual needs. One of the first initiatives was to walk the young men up to their home territory and document their thoughts, aspirations and ideas on film, with specialist trainers encouraging the young men to speak their minds through an informal interviewing technique. One of the discussions we had revolved around who their male role models were. Alarmingly, they were all older young men in prison. It was at this point that what we were dealing with really hit home. Hybrid Arts brought in musician Harrington Bembridge, formerly of Selector and The Specials, to lead the making of this film and he became a great source of inspiration for the group.

After a few weeks, the local police contacted us to ask if we were able to cope with having the young men on our programme. They informed us of the impact the gang had been having on their local community – with the men attending Hybrid Arts on Thursdays and Fridays, the locals had begun to do their shopping on these days because of the improvement of street safety! It was at this point that the police informed us that 8 out of 10 of the group were on bail for a series of offences, including intent to cause bodily harm and assault. This highlighted the need that these young people had for our service, to give them some focus and goals.

A valuable communication with the police continued, and over the course of the programme we saw the young men progress in leaps and bounds. Two members of the group achieved a number of NOCNs at Level 1 in an Introduction to Digital Music Technology, and two enrolled on college courses. Two individuals went further and undertook a Peer Mentoring qualification, returning to Hybrid Arts again to learn Music Technology at level 2 having got the taste for achieving (please see The Social Reality Project, below). The group ceased to acquire any additional bail offences. Communication with local youth workers enabled us to keep informed of developments within the men’s personal lives which may have affected their behaviour at Hybrid Arts, and this sharing of information better equipped us to tailor  learning and mentoring to individual needs. The group became adept at giving presentations to Hybrid Arts visitors. They talked honestly and directly about their past experiences, aims and ambitions what they wanted to get out of their experience at Hybrid Arts into the future.

THE SOCIAL REALITY PROJECT

Due to the attention that Hybrid Arts received for improving community safety,  a series of statutory agencies including drugs and alcohol teams, police and health officers, subsequently commissioned Hybrid Arts to create the Social Reality Project, delivered by three Hybrid Arts young people.

Terry and Russell were fledglings from our Music Technology programme. Terry initially lied to get onto the Music Technology programme – in the fourth week of training the Deputy Head of a local school called Hybrid Arts to thank us for a positive outcome for Terry…it was only then we realised he was still in school (in year 11). We  took the approach that Terry was demonstrating entrepreneurial skills and the Deputy Head confirmed that he had outgrown school, not attending consistently since year 9. Through negotiation to keep Terry on the course, the school agreed to release a proportion of funding to secure Terry a place, as he could not be funded through the franchise. This is first instance Hybrid Arts have had of schools releasing funds for an individual excluded pupil for external vocational provision.

Russell joined the Music Technology programme as a severely under-confident young man. He initially refused to contribute to any activity; but close working with musician Harrington Bembridge really brought out a side to Russell the he had been playing close to his chest. His talent for drawing and story-boarding soon became apparent, and he also became more comfortable communicating with peers and trainers, even sharing with us that he used to carry bricks in his bag so it looked like he had books in it.

Their progression has been outstanding. Terry and Russell joined creative forces with Dave, fellow musician and student on the following year’s Music Technology programme, and in these young men we saw the drive, potential and creative aptitude that, if channeled correctly, could propel them to make a positive contribution to both their own lives and others. We decided to act upon this and trial the young men as Peer Mentors. Following a successful trial and completion of an intensive OCN Level 2 Peer Mentoring course, they were granted official Hybrid Arts contracts.

The first real challenge for the mentors was The Social Reality Project – a multimedia project designed to inform young people about staying safe. Warwickshire County Council provided training from the Drug and Alcohol Team in alcohol and drugs awareness, and from the Teenage Pregnancy Unit in sexual health and pregnancy.  The young men created a series of songs and accompanying music videos on the themes of alcohol and drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and knife crime. The resulting films, Strife, Only 14 and One Way Path, were created entirely by the peer mentors and are available to view on our YouTube site (www.youtube.com/hybridfilms). To date, the films have received over 40,000 hits since the first video in the series was uploaded in April 07.

The Peer Mentors in the studio

The Peer Mentors presented their videos to heads of education, Warwickshire County Council Members Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee, Children, Young People and Families Directorate, Division of Young People, and leaders in primary health care. This practice of strategically broadcasting media made by young people in Council Chambers was a principal activity of the peer mentors as their network grew. The project became a runaway success, and the films were recommended in the WASTED report “Review of Young People and Alcohol Misuse in Warwickshire”, after being consulted by the Children, Young People and Families overview and scrutiny committee in September 2007.

The young mens’ positive progression continued – both Terry and Russell re-enrolled on the Music Technology programme to develop their skills.

Terry has flourished into a highly talented lyricist and performer. He has asked to re-take his GCSEs, and recently volunteered as Compere at the launch of Hybrid Arts’s Extraordinary Cycles project in July 09.

Russell identified a passion for film editing, and signed up to an  Adobe Photoshop course at Warwickshire College. Hybrid Arts supported his independence by funding driving lessons – Russell was proud to have passed his test last year.

Dave is forging out a career in education. After shadowing a trainer delivering music sessions in Rugby, he is now contracted by Hybrid Arts to deliver NCFE Music Technology training to young people on the Re@ctiv8 programme. In his spare time Dave continues to be a respected presence on the underground Leamington music scene. He has now signed up for a PTLLS teacher training programme to develop his skills further.

Enjoying and Achieving

CASE STUDY – M.S

M.S was referred to the Re@ctiv8 programme at Hybrid Arts from a local Special School, but his induction was delayed by two weeks due to him witnessing his stepmother stab his father to death in the corridor of their flats.

On joining Hybrid Arts M.S was, understandably, extremely quiet to the extent that he rarely even spoke, and was obviously seriously traumatised. After working with M.S for while it became apparent that his literacy was very poor.

During his time at Hybrid Arts, M.S has been turned around. He has worked hard to noticeably improve his levels of literacy and numeracy, and he is much more communicative with both staff and his peers. After six months on the programme, M.S came into the office and made a heartfelt announcement to the room about the death of his dog – this declaration was made all the more profound by the fact that the dog had belonged to his father, and we realised that M.S was beginning to come to terms with his death and that it was likely he was really communicating to us his feelings about the horrific experience. This was a massive step forward, and we welcomed the new openness in M.S.

A special case was made for M.S to stay on at Hybrid Arts on the Re@ctiv8 programme post-16, as he is so stable here and constantly improving. He told us specifically that he did not want to leave Hybrid Arts and wished to continue with the Re@ctiv8 programme whilst pursuing a career goal he harbours – to complement the creative work he is doing at Hybrid Arts, M.S is undergoing simultaneous motor mechanics training with Arthur Rank.

Undoubtedly, the highlight of M.S’s progression was witnessed during a recent visit from Danish representatives from Randers Kommune. Mrs Helle Bonde, Mr Ole Anderson and Mr Knud Aarup. They visited to scope a longer visit for a party of Councillors from Randers Kommune to import our model of engagement to Denmark. M.S stole the show by demonstrating our log-in online portfolio system – designed in-house for evidencing student’s work – to the visitors, talking articulately about what creative technology training has done for him, and how it has helped him to achieve things that he didn’t feel were possible before. We are so proud of M.S, and hope that he feels this way about himself.