Six Week Summer Solutions. - Activating Creative Talent

Summer is here!

We are now at the end of July, which means only one thing. The six-week summer school holidays have started and are in full affect!

It is the break all young people need after months of focus and hard work at school or college. After months of getting up and going to school, being physically active and mentally stimulated, summer can be an opportunity for plenty of rest to recharge and have some fun, but unfortunately it can also provide an opportunity for young people to slip into poor routines, bad habits and get themselves into trouble.

The issue.

Six weeks is a long time for a young person to not have structure and positive activities to engage in. Young people can go from high levels of structure and routine in school and seeing their school friends often to spending a lot of time at home, with little or no structure and routine.

This can lead to over extended periods used on screen time, young people becoming inactive and social isolated. For some young people, being at home can be fun and peaceful but for others, being at home can be a nightmare. Not all young people have a great family unit or feel safe at home, so they may do everything they can to avoid being at home.

This can lead some young people to not making the best decisions, for example they may:
 Spend more time on the street with no purpose. Boredom may cause young people to act silly or get into trouble.
 They may show lack of motivation or enthusiasm for life. They may stop doing what they enjoy, such as dancing, sports, art and so on.
 Spend more time in the digital world, scrolling on social media, watching TV, playing video games and so on. Instead of getting fresh air or being physically active.
 Stay up late at night till early morning after being carried away online or messing around on the streets for hours.
 Neglect their hygiene by not taking showers, brushing their teeth or sorting their hair or exercising, which can lead to poor mental health.

Recent Data from the West Midlands Police report “Serious Youth Violence- Summer Demand Birmingham” shows youth crime and violence fluctuates throughout the year, but peaks every summer. The worrying trend doesn’t only demonstrate a peak in the summer, but over the last 3 years, the levels of violence never return to original levels prior to the summer. This means the violence on our streets increases each year, after the sudden spike in violence during the summer madness. But why? If young people have no purpose, guidance, structure and we don’t give young people positive activities to fill up their time, young people are left to entertain themselves.

Connect with other young people who also lack structure, guidance and purpose. This means during this time young people can easily be led into crime, becoming exploited and/or engaging in violence. It can start from;

– Boredom
– Peer pressure
– Unpleasant childhood or family home
– Lack of opportunities
– Lack of money and more

Young people from marginalised backgrounds can be vulnerable during the six-week holidays, because some families may want to motivate and entertain their children but struggle to afford day trips, summer camps or the equipment needed to entertain their children’s hobbies, such as arts and crafts, sports kit, dance lessons and so on.

The solution.

So how can we keep young people out of trouble this summer? Luckily, many organisations recognise the threats for young people during summer and have created various summer programmes across the UK. We all have a role to play in keep young people safe during summer, for example;

– Teachers can give leaflets to students from local organisations that are running summer programmes and activities.
– Schools can run their own summer programme for their students to attend during the holidays and have a safe space to reunite with their friends.
– Parents can actively look for local activities in their area in which they can take their children.
– Organisations and Charites can run free or affordable summer projects/programmes throughout the summer within their local area.
– Government, city councils and other funding agencies can help fund and support organisations and Charites that run summer programmes.

Having summer programmes that are free and easily accessible to young people has many positive benefits and most importantly, it can help divert young people away from crime exploitation and gangs who engage in violence during the most hazardous time of year.

We have listed a number of programmes and a directories you can use to find programmes, organisations and activities from across the West Midlands below:

Bring It on Brum https://www.bringitonbrum.co.uk/ (Summer Holiday Programmes)
https://streetgames.coordinate.cloud/

Free Summer programmes for young people in Birmingham 2022.

Birmingham Children’s Trust- Young People Summer Club.

From July 25^th – August 18^th young people between the ages of 10-16 years old, who are eligible for free school meals, can take part in different activities from 10am-2pm, such as media, arts, dance, sport, martial arts as well as day trips to London, West Midlands Safari Park and more.

M.A.D Birmingham – Summer Commonwealth Holiday Camp.

They have the summer programmes for young people between 10-16 years old, running in two locations in Birmingham.

Aston Manor Academy (Aston) from 25^th July – 19^th August
Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School (Acocks Green) from 1^st August – 26^th August

BME Community UK CIC- Summer-Tastic

They have a 3 Week summer programme of activities for ages 5 -11 years old. Including arts and crafts, performing arts, outdoor trips, workshops, commonwealth games attendance and more. You need to register on their website: www.bmecommunityuk.org

ACT art activities and Windrush event

We are offering weekly arts and craft, filming and photography workshops on Wednesdays during the summer holidays from 12-4pm, to create videos and art work for their commonwealth event- Moments of Migration: A Common Wealth Tale.