The celebratory short film [approx. 23 minutes] can be viewed at
A full report of the Vibe Project including many images and links to videos and music made by young people can be read at https://www.allacrossthearts.com/post/vibe-impact-report-celebrating-changing-the-lives-of-young-people-through-the-creative-arts
CLOSURE
After a decade working with more than 150 neurodivergent children and young people the time came to wind down the project. A project that has had a huge impact on the lives of many young people and the team who have worked with them.
The Vibe model is very different to many interventions and courses available to young people facing mental health challenges with no time limits: some young people were with the project for 8 years.
This gave them the security of belonging, the time and space to develop friendships, grow feelings of self-worth, find and express their voice, develop skills and the confidence to communicate their story through the creative arts.
An environment in which they could start to believe that they had something to offer to themselves and others, becoming valuable contributors to their communities ready to successfully engage with training, employment and volunteering.
The hands-on leadership model was to be respectful, to listen and to be empathetic in all interactions with each other and all our children and young people. The expectation was that being enveloped by that environment young people would themselves develop the same social skills.
THE LEGACY
The most important legacy of our project is manifested in the lives of the children and young people we have been privileged to be a part of. The young people who have developed the confidence, self-belief, communication and social skills to go on to achieve such as first class honours degrees, become loving, caring parents and successfully follow careers in health, social care and the creative arts industry. Children and young people who have moved away from self-harm and self-medication, who have developed long lasting friendships, who have become supportive and caring of others in their communities as active volunteers. Young people who continue to develop, express and share their creativity, for their own pleasure and that of others.
The wish is that the VIBE/SWCT model is made available to as many children and young people as possible and that many more creative artists are given the opportunity to work alongside young people to enable them to realise their creativity in a supportive and safe environment.
Vibe will continue as a local community group under the umbrella of All Across the Arts any future activity will be announced on allacrossthearts.com
During the last few days of the project, we received this ‘I have been given your contact details by Rebecca from SEND Advice Line - she highly recommended VIBE to me. I am a mother of 11 yrs old boy Szymon who has autism diagnosis. He is a very creative boy - loves music (he plays bass guitar in Rochdale Music Centre), he enjoys doing animations on his tablet, he is into art. Could you let me know how he could join your group please?
On replying that unfortunately the project was closing, ‘Thank you for your prompt response. What a shame he is not able to join the Vibe now... I was (and he was) really looking forward to it. Please let me know if any other opportunity comes across. I would really appreciate it.’
THANKS TO
· All the young people who have allowed us to be part of their journey.
· The organisations who have worked alongside us including MIND, CAMHS, Early Break and Thrive.
· Rachel McDonald, Transformation and Delivery Manager – Children and Maternity (Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale)NHS Greater Manchester who believed in us and fought for us from day one.
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