To build bridges between mainstream communities and those who feel isolated or oppressed - whether just down the road or on the other side of the world. We work with teachers and community educators, with young people struggling to break free from gang culture, and with disadvantaged communities across the city. We aim to provide the foundations for a new social responsibility, helping people understand the complex world around them and giving the skills and confidence to take positive action.
Why the community needs usDerby's local neighbourhoods are being fragmented by the rapid social and economic changes brought about by globalisation. The vulnerable become more so as austerity bites, and cuts in social services and benefits mean communities seen as "other" tend to become scapegoats. Our work responds to the need to offset this trend and raise awareness of commonality in the different communities' struggle for dignity and acceptance and to help them work out their own solutions.
Our impact on the communityYoung people with difficult backgrounds and limited opportunities receive support to break the cycle of exclusion and develop the mindset for reengagement with training and employment. Deprived local communities benefit from increased intergenerational understanding and dialogue, and a reduction in low level anti-social behaviour. Impacts ripple out to reach ever larger numbers as teachers, youth workers, and educators of all kinds are equipped to develop critical and emotional literacy.
