Bristol community group helping disadvantaged teens pursue passions with new programme
A Bristol community group is launching an initiative to lift young people from marginalised communities into work and help them pursue their passions.
Grassroot Communities, a youth work organisation based in Bristol, has started the 'Grassroot Activators Programme' to give young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the skills and inspiration they need to achieve their goals in life.
They are hoping to run year-long courses which teach people aged 16-25 a variety of skills, and they are asking businesses to sponsor individuals.
Tanikka Green, a young person from Hartcliffe, is in the demographic of people that the programme is targeting. She said that some of the children in her area cause trouble because of a lack of opportunities.
"I want to do some good in my community and help other kids, some who may have been through similar things as me growing up".
The new programme will take on young people and teach them a series of modules, involving two days of learning per week over the course of a year.
Ben Carpenter, the founder of Grassroot Communities, said that the programme was launched after having discussions with young people in marginalised communities who felt like they lacked opportunities.
He realised there was no pathway for them, particularly for those who wanted to get involved with youth work themselves.
Ben says that often, because of a lack of guidance and opportunity, the talent of people in marginalised Bristol communities is "lost" - particularly once they reach a certain age.
They currently have enough funding for four young people, but they are hoping to deliver the programme to 15 people in their first year, and so they are appealing for more organisations and businesses to get involved and sponsor individuals.
"Hopefully this provides that platform for some young people to find that passion, to drive towards it and for them to be the role models for others.
"Because that's going to have more of an impact, if some kid sees someone else from their community that wouldn't necessarily be going in this direction suddenly change their life through this."