...where alternative education meets heritage and creativity
How can we re-engage young people in alternative education, getting them back into mainstream
education and thriving?
Our House is a three-year research and delivery project. It allows artists, educators, and heritage experts to explore new ways of transforming alternative education. The project focuses on creativity and heritage in the borough
of Barking and Dagenham.
o Upskill artistic, heritage, and education professionals
o Design a new Creative Alternative Education Programme
o Re-engage young people at risk of missing mainstream education, through creative alternative pathways
o Increase attendance of young people at heritage sites
o Curate three public exhibitions of young people’s work
o Start a youth archive for Barking and Dagenham
o Increase attendance, behaviour, and outlook of students involved
In year 1, we have been researching and developing the model of delivery. We have done this by:
o Delivering 110 hours of creative activity with young people at risk of exclusion in 7 schools
o Delivering 40 hours training for artists and local stakeholders in topics such as Trauma informed training and NSPCC safeguarding
o Meeting existing alternative education provisions, and receiving advice to knowledge gather and collaborate
o Shadowing meetings and processes, to understand what we need in place for a successful and safe programme
o Designed a year 2 pilot programme and received critical feedback from expert stakeholders to refine the programme
o Created an exhibition at Eastbury Manor House exploring place and safety, with artists and young people collaborating to give their experiences
o Organised 11 wrap around events, inviting hundreds of members of our local community from schools, the public, and experts to visit the exhibition and take part in seminars and workshops
o Launched the Year 2 pilot programme – where young people who are avoiding school will be invited to spend three days a week at an alternative programme to build their resilience and confidence, removing blockages to their school attendance.
You can read more about the year 2 programme here.