A bigger community role to inspire young

ENGLAND – Young people will get extra encouragement to unlock their talents as part of a £10m (NZ$27.5 million) Inspiring Communities initiative, communities secretary Hazel Blears announced.

The government’s New Opportunities White Paper argued that social mobility has improved in recent years. Some 600,000 youngsters have been lifted out of poverty in the last decade.

The proportion of young people from lower income families going to university has gone up.

However, the White Paper also recognised that in some deprived areas, young people are less likely to aim high. They do not always make the link between doing well in education and doing well in life. Low self esteem, low aspirations and limited horizons can act as barriers to success.

What happens in schools is crucial to addressing underachievement, but a child’s sense of what they can achieve is influenced by factors beyond the school gate. Lack of inspiration or support from friends, families or peers can all play a part.

Inspiring Communities is about investing in locally conceived, locally delivered projects that will get whole communities standing behind the talented young people in their midst and make sure that communities play a bigger part in fostering and investing in that talent.

Ms Blears said: “Sometimes a young person can’t get the breaks they deserve or don’t have a sense of what is out there for them because the people around them fail to see their potential. We need to turn this around.

“The communities where young people live should not hold them back; they should be the source of inspiration and practical support that will help them to achieve.

“This programme is about getting all the people in communities who want the very best for their children and for their area to work together to make the difference.”

Inspiring Communities will support people in deprived communities to develop innovative campaigns and activities designed to raise the achievement of young people, broaden their horizons and build up self esteem.

The programme is designed to put local people – parents, neighbours, businesses, teachers, voluntary groups and councils – in the driving seat to harness their collective knowledge, energy, resources and enthusiasm to boost the aspirations and achievements of young people.

Beverley Hughes, children and young people’s minister said: “This is a great opportunity for parents, businesses and everyone who works with young people to come up with ideas to engage and benefit the young people in their communities.

“We know most young people are doing well and working hard at school, so I am delighted that this initiative will give them the chance to demonstrate their skills and talents and the valuable contribution that they can make to their communities.”