Thrive
Our flagship 12 month programme provides young people with a deep exploration of dance, creative expression and themselves. It gives them the time to build meaningful relationships and a real sense of community, both with each other and with the Care to Dance team. The trust that comes with this is crucial for young people to open up and begin to heal.​
But this takes time, and that’s why this programme is so important. Many care-experienced young people live through a huge amount of turbulence and instability in their lives on a daily or weekly basis, let alone over the course of a year. Building trust and a belief that someone and something will be there for them no matter what takes consistency and effort - and that’s what our team does.
We work to ensure young people stay engaged with the programme, checking in on them regularly and reaching out if we know they are struggling. By doing this, young people grow to believe more in themselves, their value and what they could achieve. ​​
“Life has been tough since I was a young person.
But coming to care to dance I have felt like I had a second home and felt I could be what I wanted to be. I feel happier and safer.”
The skill components of the course further reinforce this process. Over the 12 months, young people develop their dance skills and take part in a number of diverse performances. They are also supported to complete their Level 1 and 2 Dance Leadership Qualifications, accredited by Leadership Skills Foundation. These qualifications enables them to lead dance activities and sessions themselves, equips them with communication, problem-solving and other transferable skills and enhances their employability prospects.
They also have opportunities to have a positive impact on the social work sector - taking part in training for social workers, speaking at events and offering their experiences as learning and reflection. This all hugely impacts our young peoples’ confidence, demonstrates their ability to overcome challenges and provides a real sense of achievement.​​