Brushing up on art-ful strokes

YOUNG offenders have been turning their hand to art in a bid to turn their lives around and give something back to the community.
Warrington and Halton Youth Offending Team has been running a Summer Arts College. On the course the students have had the chance to work on many areas including art, drama, dance and fashion.
They have been working with experts including local artist Clair Heaviside and literacy expert Sophie Hughes at Warrington Collegiate.
Each young person has had the opportunity to achieve a Level 1 Bronze Art Award – a massive achievement as the majority of the young people that the YOT work with have not been in education or training for many years.
A review of the outcomes for last year’s programme showed that of the eight young people engaged on the course, six gainined full time education training or employment.
All 10 of this year’s course have found jobs or training and none have re-offended.
A YOT spokesman said: “This is a truly remarkable improvement in behaviours and outlook on life and resulted in a reduction in victims in the two communities”.
Some of the young people went on to enrol on further education courses despite prior to the project stating ‘colleges are for other people not the likes of me’.
Their work was also showcased in an evening celebration where they performed a selection of their work for friends, carers and relatives.