A group of young Asian men have spent the last three months working on a short film which was launched in Dewsbury, whilst also achieving Bronze Arts Award. The primary aim of the film project, and other schemes, is to support vulnerable individuals who may be targeted or recruited to violent extremism. Organisers say it will also help to support mainstream voices in the community and challenge violent extremist ideology. The film, called 'What's Your Identity?', explores issues important to the five-strong group including identity, belonging and the role and influence of the media on their lives. ‘Pathways into Adulthood’ is one of six projects undertaken with funding from Prevent (Preventing violent extremism).
Kirklees Young Offending Team (YOT) is made up of representatives from agencies including the Police, Probation Service, Children and Young People Service and Health. Kirklees YOT identifies the needs of each young offender by assessing them and addressing the specific problems that make the young person offend.
The young film-makers were assisted by Yorkshire-based Lippy Productions as part of a partnership project between the Kirklees Youth Offending Team and the Kirklees Young People's Service. During this process the group achieved the Bronze Arts Award, an accreditation which is managed regionally by CapeUK.
We took the group to a play at West Yorkshire Playhouse called “the Black Album” – For many of the young people it was the first time they had been to a live theatre performance. The play was directly related to our film project, as it explored the experience of a young British male who enters university where he is vulnerable to being recruited to an extremist cause. The young people were able to identify empathise with the main character as he was someone who was susceptible to peer pressure and like them was caught between different cultures. The young people were impressed by the use of a small space and the use of props to change the scenes.
The young people learnt how to use the film camera and editing equipment and shared these skills with staff supervising the project. This experience of sharing their film making skills increased their confidence and allowed them to “show off” to staff which they enjoyed.
Through their involvement, the young participants gained film-making skills and boosted their self-esteem, teamworking skills and communication. They became more self-aware, critical thinkers and gained knowledge of oppression and racism and ways to address these issues.
The film project was based around the experience of British born Pakistani heritage young men from Dewsbury in North Kirklees. Their experiences and views on how they see themselves and growing up as an ethnic minority within Britain can be transferred to other young man to increase awareness, empathy and allow space to explore difficult and challenging areas of work with young people today.
The feedback from the Arts Award moderator was: “an interesting and varied set of folders which showed the young people had clearly enjoyed working on their Bronze journeys. All the folders were individual yet had a common bond of thought which enabled them in the end to achieve their Arts award goal. Some superb film work and personal reflections in their Hero and Apprenticeships. Well done!"
Cllr Peter O'Neill, Kirklees Council's Cabinet Member for Safer Stronger Communities, said: "This project has benefited everyone who took part and has given them useful skills for the future. The project has also demonstrated how the arts, as therapy, can broaden a young person's perspective, change their outlook on life and help them become better citizens."
Link to watch film ‘What is your identity’:
For more Arts Award case studies please visit www.artsaward.org.uk
