Celebrating three years of Come As You Are

We've just published our Come As You Are Impact Report, which celebrates the first three years of our weekly youth takeover. 

From welcoming more than 500 young people to 115 sessions; supporting young people into creative careers through 30+ workshops and 400+ hours of paid work; and seeing a remarkable difference in members' wellbeing, skills, social connection and confidence; this report explores the impact of the project and what we've learned so far. 

The report is packed with statistics, learning and stories from young people across four key areas:

• Building from the ground up: the research that led to the invention of CAYA, and how we built a youth club from scratch: the key players and how young people are at the heart of decision making.
• Creating a safe space: how we've created a genuine community where young people can socialise, make new friends and feel a real sense of belonging.
• Creativity and mental health: we've seen first hand how taking part in creative activities has improved the wellbeing of young people in a myriad of different ways.  
• Developing creativity: we create opportunities for young people to get creative, learn new skills and discover new hobbies which could turn into potential career paths.

CAYA is continuing to thrive and grow. We are building on what we have learned during this incubation time, hoping to grow our reach and make a difference to even more young people.

This work is only made possible through the generosity and vision of our funders. We are actively seeking funders, donors and partners to continue to deliver our vital work. With further support we could provide even more sessions, including provision throughout the holidays, reach even more local young people and increase the quality and choice of creative activities we offer. If you'd like to find out more or visit a session, please get in touch with Rebecca Carter, Senior Producer - Engagement and Participation. If you're an individual and would like to make a donation to support our work, you can do so here.