Leaps & Bounds
Inspiring Change
FAQ
What is Leaps & Bounds?
Leaps & Bounds delivered the acclaimed Ballet Hoo! Project, which took a group of vulnerable young people through an 18 month programme of personal development and classical ballet training, televised in a four part Channel 4 documentary in 2006. Building on this success Leaps & Bounds is developing new projects.
This formula is producing extraordinary results: graduates of Ballet Hoo! have broken well-established patterns of offending, gone back into education, and found employment - none of which were considered realistic objectives for them before their involvement in the project. In a climate where young people are routinely demonised, and the issue of youth crime is considered almost insoluble, this organisation is achieving extraordinary and lasting results.
Who are the young people we work with?
Leaps & Bounds works with young people aged between 15 -18 years old who are regarded to be at risk due to social and economic disadvantage such as homelessness, exclusion/suspension, teenage parenthood, domestic violence, child abuse, learning disabilities and health issues. Communities we work with suffer high levels of social deprivation such as unemployment and illiteracy.
What do we do?
Working with each group for a period of 12 to 18 months, we use a unique combination of three ingredients to generate extraordinary changes in the lives of these young people:
Personal intervention, working with Youth at Risk to uncover issues for each person, challenge their behaviours, and help the participants see and take different choices;
Involvement in arts and sports projects of the highest standard, working with professional artists and sportspeople;
Ongoing one-to-one pastoral support from life coaches, throughout the project and beyond.
During 2008 we will deliver:
Wrosne: An Underground Experience (July 20-25) - a unique production using the ancient geology, caverns and canals of Dudley to create a new piece of theatre set in a mysterious new night club deep underground.
Chasing Fate (October 17 & 18) - a brand new musical written by West End directors, composers and performers, to be performed at Birmingham Hippodrome. Buy your tickets to Chasing Fate here.
How are young people changing their lives through Leaps & Bounds?
Typically young people from our projects have benefited as follows:
91% continued to improve their physical health and self-esteem
82% developed more stable family relationships
80% returned to education or secured jobs
80% who were in care are living now independently
No-one is now homeless.
By encouraging and supporting a return to education or work, the Leaps & Bounds programme offers an alternative route to educational achievement resulting in qualifications such as a BTEC in Performing Arts, Youth Arts Award, Modern Apprenticeship Award and Millennium Volunteers Award.
How can you support Leaps & Bounds?
Leaps & Bounds must continue to raise funds in order to secure the future of our pioneering and successful work with young people.
We require donations and grants, as well as in-kind support. Our fundraising team are happy to discuss opportunities for support in detail, and to work with supporters to create tailored opportunties.