SEBENE PROJECT
The Pitch
Problem statement
Many young people who are targeted live in deprived areas, experiencing poverty, have been excluded from school, come from low income families. On top of the social pressures that come with adolescence, they face contradictions between the world they are born into and the communities and their cultural heritage. They deal with living in poverty, watching friends fall victim to gang violence, or losing relatives to crime and prison, exclusion and discrimination. The emotional struggles such as; anxiety, anger, depression are increasingly commonplace among their age group. Many boys living in deprived areas are trapped within the stereotypes and scarce life and limited resources.
Solution
The Sebene project is fighting knife crime and gang violence by empowering young black boys about their identity, mental health and wellbeing, cultural heritage and a positive outlook of community through discussion in a safe place, culture and music, giving a different narrative to a negative perception of being a young black boy. It helps them gain confidence, self-esteem, peer interaction, communication, encourage teamwork and learn transferrable skills. The boys are taught and encouraged to be part of the community volunteering which increases self-confidence and provides a natural sense of accomplishment. They feel that they matter and their opinions matter.
Why are we best placed to deliver?
The project is youth led, most of our volunteers are young people who have been through different aspects and have had to deal with issues similar to our service users. Many young people can identify with them and can see them as a role model. Our volunteers have various skills from mental health, music production, musicians, basketball and football players and boxing. They can convey their experiences to the young people without being condescending and in a fun and learning environment. the setting used for our project is very informal which makes young people feel at ease.
Focus Areas
Delivery plan
Budget breakdown
| Youth Worker ( £10/h x 5per day x 10 sessions) | £500 |
| Food and refreshment (£2.50ppx 40) x10 days | £1,000 |
| Volunteer expenses ( £4.50 pd x 4 x 10 ) | £180 |
| Music studio ( £35 per session x 6 sessions) ( 2 groups ) | £210 |
| Covid safety equipment ( Masks, hand gel, .) | £100 |
| Hall Hire (£ 60 per day x 4) | £240 |
| Music tutor ( £75 per session x 6 sessions) | £450 |
| Bridgewater boxing (£35 per session x6 ) | £210 |
| Transport and fuel | £110 |
Beneficiaries
40 people
Expected impact
We worked throughout the pandemic, supporting young people with mental health and wellbeing activities, music sessions, sport activities, basketball, and boxing, football, and zoom sessions to alleviate isolation. We referred 6 young people to counselling and suicide prevention teams, we supported families with providing fortnightly meals, we taught young people music online and in person dependant on the guidelines. Young people will learn to contribute to their community through volunteering, litter picking and activities, this will bring community cohesion and appreciationWe will have evaluation forms after each sessions to evaluate young people' views, we will also have an evaluation forum on Padlet where young people could express their opinions about the sessions anonymously. We will have case studies and testimonials from the participants as we have previously had. Many young people now volunteer regularly and take part in sport activities which support their mental wellbeing.