Launching this month, “Assemble” will see National Youth Arts Wales (NYAW) working in partnership with National Youth Theatre of Great Britain in South Wales. The project, which is also taking place in London and Manchester, is designed to address isolation amongst disabled young people aged 16-19 by boosting their connections with their local arts community.
NYAW will work with three non-mainstream schools, across South Wales, that specialise in moderate or severe learning support needs.
The partners will build a network of local organisations for each school that provide opportunities and progression routes into the arts and employment. The project is seed-funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK.
One of the highlights of the programme will be the involvement of Gig Buddies (an acclaimed project from the Stay Up Late charity) which pairs young volunteers with neurodivergent participants to go to gigs, concerts, and other cultural events such as attending the theatre alongside relevant training. Gig Buddies will train and support volunteer “Buddies” to accompany the young people to theatre and other cultural events in their communities.
Evan Dawson, Chief Executive of National Youth Arts Wales, said: “Isolation amongst young disabled people is a huge problem in Wales. At National Youth Arts Wales, we have seen countless examples of how theatre and arts projects can inspire, support and connect young people from a wide range of backgrounds. So we’re really excited to work with our partners at NYTGB on “Assemble”, which will leave a lasting legacy across Wales, helping young disabled people engage with arts and culture opportunities in their local communities. It’s a ground-breaking example of what can be achieved when arts organisations work in partnership.”
Paul Roseby OBE, CEO and Artistic Director of National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, said: “Assemble is an important next step in our growing national inclusion programme and efforts to fix the broken pipeline that isn’t currently serving young disabled talent. Assemble will bring people together, tackle isolation and empower young voices to thrive. We’re grateful to our partners at National Youth Arts Wales and The National Lottery Community Fund for their support.”
For more information on the project’s activity across the UK, visit nyt.org.uk/assemble