Holidays

For many of the children and young people that SMART works with school is the one place where they are consistently cared for, get there needs met and even loved. By anyone’s definition these are vulnerable children and without support from school they can become even more vulnerable – especially in long summer break.

For this reason SMART is at its busiest in the holidays. Last summer we worked with some fifty children and young people aged from 7 to 15 to put on a Fashion Show. They were involved in all aspects of the preparation e.g. design, composing music, catering and hospitality, dance, publicity etc. It involved workshops at Pool BEC for three days per week of each of the first five weeks of the holidays as well as a number of external workshops at places as diverse as Penventon Hotel, The Body Shop and Truro College Gym. It also attracted interest from the press and TV.

Over thirty different individuals and organisations provided support in cash or in kind and we had the invaluable support of a sculptor, a lighting technician, two choreographers, a hair and beauty specialist and a learning mentor.

The final event was better than we could ever have envisaged with students who never normally find themselves on stage at school strutting their stuff with real aplomb.

This year (2007) we are planning more of the same and putting on a Performing Arts Showcase in conjunction with our colleagues from the Learning Space. Already there is a planning group involving young people and it promises to be an even more grad event. Of course the crucial part is that students will be involved right through the summer in all aspects of planning and preparation as well as the final event.