The Sixteen Trust aims to broaden access to careers in the arts. As such, we are engaging with schools across East Kent to deliver a mentoring programme. Our project aims to tackle the sense of isolation, hopelessness and lack of direction brought on by the pandemic. We give young people the opportunity to express their ideas, think outside of their limitations and strive for growth and a brilliant and exciting future. The programme will highlight viable career opportunities to young people with low aspiration and job prospects at Thanet's Hartsdown and Royal Harbour Academies, and King Ethelbert School. Working with a mentor has an enormous effect and the results of our pilot have been incredible. Now we need to continue and expand on this early success! We want to grow and reach hundreds more young people, enriching their educational experience, empowering them to explore new and exciting career options across the creative arts - but we need some help to get started!

What we'll deliver:

• Provide 10 mentors to 3 schools, for a year
• Reach out to new schools to expand the programme further.
• Provide the Art Law project to three schools, in partnership with Mishcon de Reya, benefitting 90 children
• Provide 60 hours of bespoke mentoring to 80 young people.
• Provide 360 children with a lesson about careers in the arts using our meet the mentor films.

Why it's a great idea:

So far, users have gained in confidence and knowledge, and been given the tools with which to work towards rewarding careers that they wouldn’t have previously known about. A mentor is also a great support in other ways, providing an adult voice that is not a parent or teacher, and with whom they can talk openly about their hopes and dreams. This funding will enable us to reach a wider range of young people, and to embed the mentoring culture in the schools moving forward. It’s vital that this project has a long-term focus, so vulnerable young people have a sense of trust and reliability instilled, which will help them to strive for themselves and their communities. We will also include the Art Law Project, which is a groundbreaking partnership with art law firm Mishcon de Reya. Young people work with the UK’s leading art lawyers to study real-world cases, problem-solving their way to solutions on cases involving looted historical artefacts, copyright theft and art restitution.

Steps to get it done:

• Initial meetings with all partners to assign tasks
• Work with Mishcon de Reya to create bespoke resources
• Recruit new mentors: Contracts, DBS checks & inductions for all
• Update evaluation framework. Create any new feedback / data collection methods and schedule data collection
• Show ‘meet the mentor’ films to children as part of a 'careers in the arts' lesson and encourage sign up to mentoring
• Schedule mentoring sessions; 6 per group spaced apart. Regular support & check points set
• Schedule Art Law classes with most appropriate groups - liaise with Mishcon de Reya & the schools
• Delivery of Mentoring sessions & Art Law project
• Evaluation; project manager gather data collected by all partners throughout the year- evaluate the outcomes of projects

We have engaged mentors from across a variety of art forms and associated industries. For their profiles and introduction films please see our website. This network of successful, relatable and approachable individuals, were all once themselves in the UK schooling system. We believe that ‘If you can see it, you can be it'.