is playing a key role in a project to create an online course helping young people in care gain access to the performing arts.
The specialist performing arts school in Hertfordshire is working with and the to develop the first-of-its kind video arts course for children aged 13 to 17.
The initiative aims to bridge the gap for some of the most disadvantaged young people in the UK by offering creative outlets that foster confidence, resilience and creativity.
Featuring performances by notable actors such as (Top Boy, The Power), (Hollyoaks, The Worst Witch), (Heart Radio), (The Voice UK), and soprano , the course brings together industry experts to inspire young audiences and demonstrate the possibilities for them within the performing arts sector.
Running alongside The Share Foundation鈥檚 Stepladder Plus life skills programme, an online learning programme for young people in care aged 15 to 17, the course will support personal development and connect young people to a wider network of performing arts resources.
Developed with Tring Park School and produced by media company聽, it is hoped the pioneering course will act as an initial access point, and help to direct young people to local performing arts education organisations and identify future opportunities.
Gavin Oldham, chair of trustees at The Share Foundation,said: 鈥淭he performing arts are special in their ability to combine enjoyment, opportunity, and a positive experience of social relationships 鈥 all key antidotes to the insecurity and despair faced by many young people in care.
鈥淲e believe this new course will provide an excellent complement to our Stepladder Plus life skills programme, offering hope and new opportunities for care leavers as they transition into adulthood.鈥
Simon Larter-Evans, principal of Tring Park, said: 鈥淲e have been planning this extraordinary collaboration together since the summer of 2023. It is a significant marker showing our joint commitment to making the performing arts accessible to all. This is just the beginning.鈥澛
Scripts and filming for the six-step online course were completed over the past three months with guidance from a focus group of young people in care and an advisory group chaired by Andy Wright OBE.
The programme is scheduled to launch in early 2025 and will be available through local authorities across the United Kingdom.
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