Make Your Mark
Overcoming barriers to employment using theatre and media to teach new skills
Make Your Mark is a creative employability and mentoring programme for 13-19 year olds which tackles barriers to employment by teaching new skills and raising self-esteem, confidence and aspirations.
Who is Make Your Mark for?
Make Your Mark (MYM) targets young people facing financial and educational disadvantage, engaging those who are NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) or those ‘at risk’ of becoming NEET.
The programme is aimed at the most marginalised young people at a pivotal point in their lives, a crucial moment where they most need to be nurtured and motivated to believe in their own potential.
Young people are referred to MYM by our wide range of partner organisations; schools, colleges, specialist education units, youth workers, social services, the youth offending team and other youth charities.
How does it work?
MYM is delivered to participants free-of-charge, in accessible community venues.
The programme consists of an initial intensive week of delivery, followed up by one-to-one and group mentoring.
Our team of specialist practitioners provide a fun, structured, interactive drama and media-based training programme featuring a blend of group drama sessions, mock interviews, teamwork challenges and practical employability skills training sessions.
Make Your Mark includes:
training on interpersonal skills,
communication and presentation skills
guidance on CVs/letters/form-filling
inspirational talks (from local professionals)
sessions exploring individual pathways
A guiding hand.
Following the initial delivery participants are mentored on their individual needs, enabling us to get to the root cause of their challenges and find solutions to overcome them.
We refer them to further relevant services to continue adding to their skill base and we offer them practical ongoing support to help them to succeed in education, employment and/or training.
Inspiring Others
At the end of the week participants form a mock media company and use their ideas to design a poster campaign that will inspire other young people to ‘make their mark’ in life.
The posters are disseminated to target locations across the borough to spread the positive and uplifting message in order to improve the aspirations of others.
“I learnt that if you believe in yourself, you will succeed. I absolutely loved this workshop and it helped me a lot.
I don’t know how to thank you for all the opportunities.”
— Workshop Participant, 14
What People Are Saying
“It has given me so much confidence and self-esteem. It has helped me with lots of social skills as well.”
— Harry, participant, 14
“I enjoyed the amazing games which developed our skills of eye contact, communication and body language.”
— Workshop participant, 14
“I learned how to be proud of myself and who I am and I have so much more confidence in myself. I’ve also learnt what to do and what not to do in an interview and had experience doing one.”
— Syeda, participant, 13
“I’ve seen a lot of positive attitude and trying very hard at school. Make Your Mark is a step forward to helping them to get a job in the future. It also helps with confidence for job interviews.”
— Parent of participant, Make Your Mark