News

Young people on our Creative Pathways
employability programme in North Ayrshire sold some beautiful hand-made
products at this week’s final exhibition and showcase event at Trinity Church
Hall in Irvine town centre.

On sale were concrete plant pots, postcards from pinhole
cameras, marble ink notebooks, and t-shirts, while a bench the young people constructed using recycled wood was donated to Abbeyfield House, a local care home.

At a packed Trinity Church Hall, over £150 was raised through
sales for Impact Arts projects across Scotland.

The Creative Pathways programme has involved young people
learning a host of creative techniques while receiving one-to-one support with
job-hunting, CV and interview skills as they work towards completing SQA
qualifications.

This final showcase event was a chance to demonstrate just how much they have accomplished over the last ten weeks.

Abbie, 16, is one of the course participants. She said:

“I liked it – it’s been really good trying new things for
the first time. It’s been great finding out how to actually make things from
scratch.

“I really enjoyed making the notebooks and working with the
pinhole cameras. The tutors helped me a lot – I’ve come a long way and I’ve now
got a job.

“It was useful doing mock interviews and getting help with
applications. I don’t think I could have done so well if I didn’t have Impact
Arts to talk to and support me.”

Chelsea, 16, is another participant. She said: “I’ve really
enjoyed it, the tutors have been amazing and showed us how to do so much stuff
– things that I think I’ll go on to do in my spare time as well.

“I’ve just found out I’ve got a job, and Impact Arts were
really helpful with that. Seeing everything exhibited, it’s really surprising
how much we’ve done and how far we’ve come.

“I didn’t think we would actually get
this far. Everything looks great on display.”

Portia Velarde, who led the project alongside fellow artist Allan Whyte, said: “We couldn’t be happier with how the showcase went.”

“All the young people’s hard work has really paid off and it
shows, not just in the high standard of the items on sale but in the overwhelming
response from public, who turned out in high numbers.”

“We were delighted also to have the Lord Provost and other local politicians in attendance.”

“It was also great to present a couple of the residents from
Abbeyfield House care home with the bench and bird boxes the young people on
the programme built for them from recycled wood.”

This block of Creative Pathways was funded by Skills
Development Scotland, Inspiring Scotland and the Big Lottery Fund’s Our Bright
Future initiative.

Impact Arts are currently recruiting for a new Creative
Pathways programme in Glasgow – find more information here.