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CashBack to the Future Summer Showcase

4th September 2023

A fantastic week of showcases for CashBack to the Future summer participants took place across Impact Arts venues in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and North Ayrshire.

CashBack to the Future is Impact Arts’ highly successful youth diversionary programme which aims to provide young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with opportunities to engage in artistic pursuits. Through workshops, mentorship, and guidance, the programme opens doors to creativity and self-expression, helping participants build confidence and life skills.

CashBack to the Future provides young people with opportunities to participate in a range of fun, creative activities in a completely different environment from school. Young people engage with and contribute to their local communities through community projects and volunteering; develop social and core skills valued by employers; gain accreditations, and improve their confidence wellbeing in order to progress towards or into positive destinations such as college. Though this, young people engage in less anti-social behaviour or report being less likely to engage in such behaviour in future.

Participants spent the summer taking part in workshops on visual art, 3D art, sculpture, pottery, and animation & film making. An overall theme of heritage ran throughout all areas.

Family, friends, stakeholders, and the general public were captivated by thought-provoking visual installations, animations, and thoughtfully crafted digital presentations at all the showcases. A massive well done to our young people who produced so much work this summer and a thank you to our amazing delivery partners, funders, and colleagues who help us bring these events to life.

Impact Arts

Going to the project gave me more freedom and I realised I can go places without my parents and be confident I know how to get home. I also enjoyed all the chats with the people working there and learned interesting stuff at Holyrood Park.

Participant

I made friendships I would never have done in school. I felt encouraged by Fraser and Shannon to have the confidence to make friends with everyone. I didn’t just gravitate to one person. Now I have a group of friends to meet up with to have fun.

Participant

On my first day I really thought about not ringing the doorbell and just walking away. I’m so glad Shannon saw me and invited me in. I would have missed the best summer of my life.

Participant

I wasn’t confident and was really anxious before I joined. Now I can order food and go shopping on my own. I remember how bad my anxiety was and I thought I would only make one or two days a week, but I came every single day and never wanted it to end.

Participant

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