Taking education to street level
StreetSmart is a scheme that improves skills, attitudes and prospects by taking training and certification to street level. The project involves street-based workshops, supplemented by sports, social action and other initiatives.
Teams of youth workers work around various parts of South and West Yorkshire, engaging some of the most marginalised and disengaged 13-19-year-olds. Sessions are delivered on street corners, in parks, outside shops and other areas frequented by groups. In these spaces, short workshops and training programmes are delivered, boosting skills, promoting positive attitudes and generating certification. Tablets, smartphones and Wi-Fi hotspots create a truly mobile training experience that breaks down numerous access barriers.
Our workshops are based around an array of topics and subjects, responding to young people’s needs and issues. Most programmes involve teaching ‘essential life skills’, covering some of the following areas:
- Speaking with confidence
- Developing self-awareness
- On-street CPR
- Compromising with others
- Managing money