About us
Care to Dance is a social enterprise, led by qualified social workers and dancers, that supports care-experienced young people through dance and helps them feel a sense of belonging, freedom and connection.
We find creative ways to help them process their experiences, the painful and positive, provide the stability consistency they likely missed growing up and help them develop relationships built on trust so they have people to turn to.
By doing this, we hope to achieve our mission to improve the wellbeing of care-experienced young people through dance, and to build inclusive communities where they feel safe, supported and can express themselves freely.​
What we do
Unique programmes
We develop programmes that offer a creative outlet through which care-experienced young people can express their feelings and process their experiences. By bringing together a unique combination of social work and dance expertise, and by taking a trauma-informed approach, we are able to tailor our workshops and the support we give to best help our young people.
Community
We create dance communities that provide a safe, inclusive space where young people can build relationships and feel a real sense of belonging. A place they can come to be completely themselves, and where they can come to for support. A place where their achievements, no matter the size, are celebrated and where they feel valued.
Skill development
We support young people to develop new skills; not just dance but a range of other transferable leadership and communication skills. We show them that they can overcome challenges they face and help develop their mental resilience. This not only builds their confidence and self-belief and shows them what they can achieve, it improves their employment and educational engagement.
“It became a way for me to feel free, escape the negativity and feel myself again. It was my form of expression.”
Our values
Inclusivity
We believe that every young person needs and deserves a safe and supportive space to express themselves openly and without fear of judgement, and we want to make dance more accessible. We use dance and creative movement as an alternative outlet for young people to express their feelings and process their experiences.
Belonging
Our community provides the stability, consistency and sense of belonging that many care-experienced young people have missed out on growing up. We are there for each other through the ups and downs and create relationships based on trust, honesty and support.
Collaboration
We want to try new things and be creative to ensure we are doing what is best for young people. We are proud of our partnerships and know that by working together with others in the sector, we have a greater knowledge and ability to bring about the best outcomes for young people.
Celebration
We take a strengths-based approach that celebrates young peoples talents, interests and potential. We celebrate every win, every step forward, every obstacle overcome - no matter how small - to reinforce to our young people that they can achieve their goals and be the best they can be.