Notts: Art helps turn lives around

A passion for art has helped eight courageous Notts teenagers turn their lives around away from trouble.

Notts County Council hosted an event to celebrate the achievements of the teenagers who have defied the odds.

Each one has completed a Bronze Art Award programme involving the county council’s targeted support team and the Arts Council.

They include Hayley Weaver, 16, from Worksop, who goes to Elizabethan Academy in Retford and Gainsborough College, and Jessica Mackenzie, 16, from Retford, who attends Retford Oaks Academy.

The successful teenagers have overcome some major challenges. Some were on the edge of criminal activity, had been in trouble at school and in the community, and were living chaotic lifestyles before working with the council.

But they have shown courage and resilience to achieve a qualification which will help towards their futures.

Marion Head, crime prevention case manager at Notts County Council said: “The Bronze Arts Award is equivalent to a short GCSE and as some of the young people involved in this project are not yet of the age to be taking GCSE’s this is really a very remarkable achievement.”

Hayley Weaver’s grandad, Tom, said he was ‘very proud’ of what she had achieved.

He said she was engaging with school and a range of youth services including The Bridge drop-in centre in Gainsborough (formerly YaSiG).

For more on targeted support services go to www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/caring/childrenstrust/pathway-to-provision/targeted-support-youth-justice/

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