Improving Prospects: building the resilience of young people in the community
The way we work with young people
Improving Prospects is Leap’s longest running community-based programme designed to give young people aged 15-21 an insight into the causes and consequences of conflict. By taking part in training, young people gain the practical skills and confidence to take control of the direction their lives are taking. They learn that conflict is inevitable but when managed well, it can be a powerful catalyst for change. We support young people’s engagement and progression by providing 1-2-1 support before, during and after training.
We take referrals from partners in the community like local councils, youth services, youth offending services and schools. You can also refer yourself onto the course. Please get in contact with the team to find out more, or use the referral form at the end of this page.
Impact of the programme
“I have a better understanding of my relationship with conflict. Now I take myself out of the conflict and look at it through the perspective of other people. Prior to the course I didn’t really consider the effects of communication. Now I try to resolve conflict by thinking about how I communicate with others. ”
Case study: Amyn Ali
I grew up in Glasgow and had a challenging start to life where I got into drugs, violence and alcohol. I’d struggled with school and had been asked to leave after finishing my GCSEs. My relationship with my Mum was already strained and when I was 15 she asked me to leave home.
I moved between hostels and began to feel like an outcast because I was living in unfamiliar areas, had lost my family and friends and felt isolated. In order to survive I put on a ‘tough’ act. The following years were turbulent. I moved to Brighton with no money, no plan and slept on beaches, at shelters and in squats. Although I had stopped taking drugs I was still drinking as a form of escapism.
The change came when I saw a poster for creative workshops. When I arrived there was so much energy in the room. The young people were cool, creative and doing their own thing, whether it was dance, music or art. I’d never been inspired in that way before. It was there that I heard about Leap. I joined the course and, although I didn’t know it then, it was a huge turning point in my life.
I met other people who were speaking openly about their experiences and for the first time I looked at myself and considered where my anger came from. I listened to the others and managed to reflect on my life and talk about it.
I graduated in 2012 but I still use the techniques I learned in the course. My relationship with my Mum improved and we are still strong today. I’ve also set up my own community health project and I’m looking at turning it into a business.
Leap evokes such a strong, emotional change, and it moved me more than anything else in my life. I’m still part of the Leap community. I’m now a young trainer and I get to continue learning every day. For me, the most important part of the work is that the negative experiences I used to hide away inside myself have now become something positive that I can use to help other young people change their lives.
