Teenagers who have not had the easiest start have been turning their lives around while helping to transform part of Derby.
The Enthusiasm Trust has handed out certificates to 12 young people, all aged between 13 and 17, who have pushed themselves out of their comfort zone to complete the Streets to Success programme.
The presentation for the Derby charity was held at Icons Talent, with the awards handed out by Icons’ Nathan Thaker and Derby North MP Amanda Solloway.
The programme is open to teenagers who are at risk of offending or are registered offenders and its purpose is to focus on the individual development of the young people, unlock their potential, create trust and form productive relationships to positively influence their decision making.
April Allman, CEO of Enthusiasm, said: “These young people are vulnerable and prime for recruitment to county lines and exploitation, particularly if they end up excluded from school and or society.
“It is absolutely crucial we continue to invest in these programmes to help re-engage those who may have slipped through the net. There is little funding available for this section of young people but they are, in some cases, the most in need.
“It’s vital we prevent and not continue to punish and incarcerate – this is not the answer and doesn’t work.”
Streets to Success is a 32-week programme that is divided into three phases. Firstly, bespoke mentoring to focus on areas in the young person’s life which can be triggers for the challenges they face.
The second phase encourages them to take on new challenges such as rock climbing, abseiling and gorge walking, handling snakes, spiders and other unusual creatures. They are encouraged to take risks, step outside of their comfort zones and face their fears in a safe and secure environment and group.
The third phase is about inspiration and aspiration. The young people were able to make music, create artwork and feel free to express themselves in ways they may not have been able to do before.
April added: “It was an exciting night for Enthusiasm and heartwarming to see how far these young people have come through the Streets to Success programme. They have developed personally and have shown real promise in turning their lives around by making better choices and choosing different pathways.
“We now see the young people attending other activities at the youth hub and forging productive friendships with attendees. They have successfully secured places at college, re-engaged in education, gained work experience and have become all round more settled as individuals.
“I am so proud of how far they have come and we will continue to support them on their journey.”
Among the young people receiving an award was Hawkins Udaigwe who attended extra revision sessions and now wants to explore the music industry and become an entrepreneur. The teenager has also become an inspiration for other young people taking part in the programme. He attended YMCA the day after as a volunteer at the breakfast club and will be applying for an internship with Amanda Salloway over the summer.
Pharrell Williams also picked up his certificate and gift. He was the youngest taking part in the programme and had the highest attendance record, even being the only person to show up on a snow day.
Alex Pulko was out of education when he started the programme but managed to get into college to study business, working at the same time.
Part of the programme included working with Down to Earth on the newly opened Electric Daisy, in Derby, where they brightened it up with their graffiti-style artwork and made benches.
Niamh Toner, project manager for Streets to Success, said: “We carried out some of the workshops in Electric Daisy where they were able to work on the new public garden as we are trying to make it feel like their space.
“It’s a really important part of the project to take ownership of where they live. It has gone down really well with the young lads. They are so individual and it’s amazing to unlock their potential.
“They can be a difficult group of people to engage with but when you get those wins it is so amazing. It is about working with them.
“We’ve had a range of difficult activities and some extreme challenges such as abseiling and rock climbing with some of them afraid of heights. There were a few tears but it was a break-through and it led to discussions about toxic masculinity.
“There have been mixed reactions as they have stepped out of their comfort zone and that is never going to be easy.
“They have done so well and have hopefully learned more about themselves.”
Enthusiasm, which is based in Cotton Lane, has been helping children from disadvantage backgrounds in the city since 1992 as they are encouraged to reach their full potential.
Rachel Hughes, education lead at Down to Earth, told how they have been blown away by the reaction to Electric Daisy.
She said: “I want to get people involved in the spaces and looking after it as it is a space for young people to come and feel happy. They can see what their work has gone towards and it gives them some ownership. They can be proud of everything they have done.”
They held 12 sessions where the young artists used their artistic flair to brighten up the gardens and created some benches to provide a seating area.
