Family & Community Learning Project

Image: Improving Lives Nottingham

This spring UKYA have been working with community partners to deliver a series of creative projects, with funding from Nottingham City Council's Family and Community Learning team.

During the May half term, artists at Backlit Gallery ran the 'Space Academy' project for children aged 4 - 15yrs and families from the Nottingham Refugee Forum. 40 participants spent three days with artists Anna Manfield and Ryan Heath, learning model making, collage and painting techniques to create space suits, planet sculptures and lunar scenes. The families also got to enjoy a space themed feast on the final day and received a certificate to recognise their achievements. In July, UKYA then teamed up with Improving Lives and Nonsuch Studios for a two week confidence building programme for vulnerable adults in the city. Attendees worked with theatre director, Laura Jasper, playing theatre games, learning how to make barista coffees and even recreated the opening scene from Reservoir Dogs!

"We were thrilled to have the opportunity to work with two other local Nottingham charities to offer people we support a range of confidence and team building activities. Our service users face significant problems including mental and physical ill health and these sessions offered them new opportunities and experiences otherwise not available to them." Victoria Burrows, Chief Executive of Improving Lives

“It took me out of my comfort zone but in a good way” – Improving Lives participant.