Project information
Spark 2019
Spark 2019 will provide diverse arts opportunities for 5-25 year olds from Waverley Borough, Surrey who are socially disadvantaged, vulnerable and battling financial inequalities, through outreach sessions in visual and performance arts culminating in a 2-day festival to celebrate their work.
February 2019 - October 2019
Charity information: Farnham Maltings

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Need
Need
1810 young people live in poverty in Waverley, (6.9% of all 0-19 year olds). 637 children and young people aged 0-24 provide unpaid care at home. The majority are young people (16-24). We have worked extensively with looked after children and young carers, who simply cannot afford or access arts activities due to caring duties, no money or moving from home to home, despite wanting to. Emotional and Mental Health concerns are increasing; isolation, self harm and fear of failure with no outlets.
Solution
We will use the transformative power of the arts to support the social, personal and educational well-being of our children and young people. 6 community outreach projects will be delivered by industry professionals with work showcased at multiple festivals and events. Sessions will develop interpersonal/job skills, build independence, & resilience. We will work with borough wide agencies to identify areas of most need and involve participants in all creative decisions to build self-confidence
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Aims
Aim 1
Improve life quality for vulnerable young people 5-25 through outreach participatory arts programme
Activities
» Run 6 community arts outreach projects delivered by industry led professionals to create new work and opportunities, showcasing at local events.
» Enable young people to drive the creative processes by selecting their art form, articulating their ideas, planning, design and implementing as a team
» Document the projects through a film (made by participants) so that children & young people have a record of their participation for CVs and posterity
What success will look like
Children and Young People who has take part in Spark projects will have improved health, wellbeing and training opportunities and will continue to participate in the arts.
Aim 2
Strengthen partnerships with community groups/organisations to widen reach and impact on individuals
Activities
» Consult with local services / Waverley Borough Council, SCC Families Team, networks to target groups/individuals that have identified as most in need
» Make positive connections with groups / communities through consultation and conversations and support their engagement/involvement
» Visit groups/locations to showcase Spark programme describe what it may offer to young people in most need
What success will look like
Spark projects will be set up in new areas through new partnerships/connections forged with community groups/organisations, widening the reach/impact on children and young people.
Aim 3
Develop and promote further opportunities for children and young people to continue participation
Activities
» Signpost Young People aged 15yrs+ to 'Into the Arts'–run with The Surrey Virtual School which gives YP a chance to broaden creative opportunities.
» Implement a youth arts forum for children & young People to share ideas and interests and influence future opportunities across communities.
» Develop a sustainable fundraising strategy for a long-term and geographically wider programme.
What success will look like
Participating young people continue to engage in extra curricular arts activities or go on to formal arts apprenticeships and have increased employment opportunities.
Aim 4
Improve community cohesion through inter generational workshops and activities at Spark Festival
Activities
» Run 8 free multi-art form workshops for ages 5–25 (dance, drama, animation, mixed media etc.) and 3 free workshops for families to do together.
» Programme and present Spark Youth and Community show performed and created by children and young people
» Programme and present a live professional family theatre show with participants, that is free to attend.
What success will look like
Families and communities will spend more quality time together, have improved relationships and be happier and healthier through participating in physical/creative arts activities
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Impact
Impact
We will work with 6 community groups to create regular arts outreach projects (3 existing/past groups & 3 new partnerships/community groups /organisations). This will widen the reach and impact to children and young people countywide. 100 children & young people will take part in these further outreach projects.
Over 800 people will participate in Spark Festival with 5% of children & young people who have taken part, continuing participation in the arts through our signposting onto new schemes.Risk
Part time working staff/inconsistency of staff
Staff / organisations resources / time to support project if it falls out of normal working days / times
Lack of take up
Funds
Mitigation
Clear, careful forward planning
Clear, informative communication and understanding of projects/programmes from the outset so the workload/management is transparent & any issues are addressed in advance.
Partnership agreement identifies expectations.
Work with community groups to secure audiences.
ACE match funds
Reporting
Monthly reports form project deliverer/manager
Send all Spark partners advisory meeting minutes where relevant to their investment
360 evaluation to ensure all donors have monitoring/evaluation records as project progresses
End of project evaluation
Film, press, images, social media -
Budget
Budget - Project Cost: £17,680
Loading graph....Amount Heading Description £3,000 Project Management 7.5 x 4 - 1 day per week x 5 months @ £20 per hour £1,500 Administration and booking 7.5 x 4 - 1 day per week x 5 months @ £10 per hour £7,200 Artist Practioners based on 6 community projects, 8 workshops, 2 continued community projects £600 Outreach Events/Workshops 6 events @£100/event (venue = £80, £consumables & refreshments £20) £480 Practitioners (Festival Weeken based on 8 workshops and average £60 per hour £1,000 Professional Show Spark event Equipment, materials, staff, sets & staging etc. £1,200 Materials-outreach workshops based on 6 community projects, 8 workshops, 2 continued community projects - £16 x £75) £2,700 Marketing/PR/Films/Printing Flyers, printing, promotion = £500, Film documentaries £2200 Current Funding / Pledges
Source Amount Farnham Maltings £3,000 Guaranteed -
Background
Location
Farnham, Farncombe, Godalming, Cranleigh & Haslemere. Godalming Central & Ockford have highest %s of YP (16-24yrs) in Waverley with poor mental health, claiming employment/support allowance, young people 11-19 yrs in low income homes & students achieving no passes at GCSE. Farnham has highest numbers of young people referred to Children’s Services, in poverty & Looked after Children/children on child protection plans. Health issues: obesity, 0-15 yrs in bad health homes, high anxiety, self-harm.
Beneficiaries
Our primary beneficiaries are children &young people (7-25) in areas of need. We will provide access for them to positive and focused arts activities.
Professional artists will have long-term projects & opportunities to develop skills and understand delivering arts projects within social contexts to benefit children & young people.
Communities; encourage young people to develop new friendships, stronger links within families/community.
Local organisations: to look at new ways of engaging YP. -
Why Us?
Why Us?
Our dedicated community outreach programme has already widened opportunities for communities by enabling professional practitioners to work with local groups/organisations to provide young people in Waverley, who can't access the arts, with opportunities to explore and create new work. Our staff are highly experienced and committed . Our successful youth participation scheme is dedicated to equality of arts access for young people via apprenticeships, extracurricular activities and outreach.
Read more about the Charity running this project.
People
Emma Jones
Youth Participation Producer, Spark Coordinator
Sue Skerrit
Partner - Action for Carers / Surrey Young Carers
Gavin Stride
CEO of Farnham Maltings

The project helped the young people havepride and ownership of their youth hut, it created positive promotion of the youth project within the community and it would not have been possible to make over the youth hut without the support from Farnham Maltings' SPARK. We could not have asked for more!