Case Studies: Project casebook

JET BLACK

Name of project: Jet Black Entertainment Business Start-up Programme

Aim: To show young people they can build successful careers working behind the scenes in entertainment and media

Funding: About £10,000 to £15,000 from Positive Activities for Young People plus some proceeds from Jet Black Entertainment's commercial activities

Many young people dream about being the next big thing in music, TV or film. Few will realise those dreams but there are exciting careers behind the scenes.

This is one of the messages from an innovative business start-up programme for young people in the London Borough of Brent.

Young entrepreneur Amer Hajan has carved out a successful career in the entertainment industry through hard work and determination. He grew up in Brent and is now giving young people the chance to follow in his footsteps.

His company Jet Black Entertainment has run two business start-up programmes to date encouraging young people to think about careers in entertainment. The first focused on events management while the second course concentrated on visual media such as TV and film.

But, as Amer stresses, this is not about creating another batch of wannabe stars. "We aim to teach young people that what you see on the screen is the final piece of the jigsaw and a lot of hard work has gone on behind it," he says. "The people on Big Brother are not the real stars of the show."

Jet Black runs club nights and other events for young people so Hajan sees the programme as a way of giving something back. He believes the fact his is a young company gives it a big advantage when appealing to teenagers.

Some are referred through Brent Positive Activities for Young People, which funds the scheme, while others are attracted by streetwise marketing - a contrast to "governmenty" campaigns and advertising, says Hajan. "It's about understanding what young people want and then using that to give them what they need."

A recent media programme gave participants a chance to learn how to use a camera and plan and shoot a documentary. It culminated in a screening in January. The young people also learned about time and money management and teamwork.

Eleven young people stuck with the project and created a film focusing on positive aspects of their community.

One participant was Faizan Mirza, 17. "Before doing this programme I didn't know how to operate a camera. We also worked out locations and the questions that we'd ask people," says Faizan. "I learned to ask complete strangers about their lives."

The documentary involved gathering different views "so it was not one-sided", adds Emile Lucien-Walters, 16. "It gave me an experience of something I haven't done before," he says. "I was interested in photography and it helped show me it was still something I want to do."

GRAFFITI

Name of project: Graffiti Project

Aim: To promote a positive image of graffiti art

Funding: About £400 from West Sussex Youth Opportunity Fund

Many people see graffiti as a scourge of modern society. But a community in Worthing, West Sussex, has learned it can also be an art form thanks to a project run by voluntary organisation Outset Youth Action.

Nine 13 to 19-year-olds - some not in education, training or employment - took part in the graffiti project at a community centre known as Mick's Garage or Community House. They worked with three artists from Brighton-based Graphik Warfare during October half term last year.

Sessions included learning about the history of the art form and studying the work of different artists. The group then decorated three large boards which now adorn the centre and have won the approval of residents in the surrounding estate.

Participants gained skills and confidence says Francesca Silvestri, Outset's Adur and Worthing district co-ordinator. "They learned to work as part of a team and take other people's ideas on board," she says.

The project has also inspired more young people to volunteer at the centre and attracted new faces, adds Leigh-Anna Barber, the centre's community development worker.

"It has been an absolutely fantastic opportunity for young people in the area," she says.

The graffiti project has already spawned another art scheme organised through Outset that will see young people work alongside older locals to create a mosaic.

Barber says it has also helped cut unwanted graffiti elsewhere. "It has changed young people's perceptions," she says. "They've seen how it can be used in a positive way and that message is being passed on."

SHELL LIVEWIRE

Name of project: Shell Livewire

Aim: To encourage young people to see enterprise as an option

Funding: Funded by Shell's social investment programme

Business is no longer a world inhabited by middle-aged men in suits. Young men and women across the UK are smashing stereotypes and starting up successful ventures with the help of organisations such as Shell Livewire.

The programme offers web-based advice to young entrepreneurs, who also support each other through an online forum. About 20,000 young people register each year and Livewire puts them in touch with useful local contacts such as local Business Links. Livewire also attends events such as school careers fairs and runs youth enterprise workshops.

The scheme celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and is reviewing what it offers, explains executive director Alison Robson. In particular, it is keen to develop stronger links with the youth work sector, she adds.

"We recognise they're working with a lot of young people who are very enterprising," she says.

One young person to benefit from Livewire's help is Nicky Gray (left). At the age of 20, she launched Kiki's Kabin, a children's indoor soft play centre in North Shields. She entered awards run by Livewire and was "gobsmacked" to win the North East Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award as well as earning a special commendation at the UK final. This generated lots of publicity for her business and gave Nicky a massive confidence boost.

"It was great because it really made me look at my business in a different way," she says.

Nicky, now 22, has gone on to mentor other young entrepreneurs working with the Tyneside Economic Development Company and is a business ambassador for North Tyneside Council.

YOUTH SUMMIT

Name of project: Bradford Youth Summit

Aim: To explore issues that young people face and look at what they can do to address them

Funding: £25,000 from Bradford Youth Development Partnership, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Bradford Council and Education Bradford

This year got off to a flying start for young people in Bradford as they gathered for the city's first youth summit. The event in January was organised by voluntary organisation Bradford Youth Development Partnership working with Bradford Council, Education Bradford and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

It was a big project that took three months to put together, explains project manager Yasmin Hanif. But she adds: "It was absolutely fantastic. It exceeded our expectations."

Young people were asked to put themselves forward as ambassadors and suggest key topics they would like to address on their application forms. These informed the content of the summit, which focused on bullying, racism, weapons and drugs.

Participants were aged 14 to 19 and included pupils from about 15 Bradford secondary schools. The 280 young people who attended also included young people involved with Bradford Youth Offending Team, those from alternative education settings and young people with learning difficulties.

It was important to find stimulating ways to look at different issues, says Hanif. For example, young people explored the topic of guns and other weapons by writing a rap. And participants in the session on bullying made bricks to "build a wall against bullying".

Another powerful medium was a drama performance on racism and extremism.

The BBC's DJ Spoony hosted the event at Bradford City Football Club and took an active part in workshops. The day finished with a dinner dance - a chance for the young people to socialise and share impressions of the day.

The event will be evaluated and a DVD made about it will be funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

"This is the first one but we don't want it to just disappear. We'd like it to be an annual event," explains Hanif.

Those involved are keen not to lose the momentum generated and are looking at running a series of events leading up to the next summit. There are also plans for a regional youth event for Yorkshire and the Humber.

Hanif believes it is vital to show young people that their ideas will be taken seriously and used. "We have to set that challenge to ourselves: we will be different."

Mariam Ahmed, 18, was impressed but stressed she was keen for the debates to lead to action. "It was a really good start," she says. "Things like this should happen more for the whole community, as well as young people."