19 jobs secured at inaugural We Shine Festival

The We Shine Festival is a three-day light, street art, technology, music and dance festival, which launched for the first time this year from 18-20 November. Local and national artists took to the streets, which featured projections on buildings, huge painted murals, large-scale light installations, dance performances, a light parade, and more.

Our employment service engaged with 23 people through our Abri Work Academy (AWA), resulting in 19 jobs across the weekend.

AWA’s see us working in partnership with employers across a range of sectors including sales, customer service, care, construction, and events to deliver sector-based training. It makes sure that people have the skills, values and behaviours that employers require. This approach has successfully enabled us to deliver training to 173 people this year, including those at the We Shine Festival.

Nine of those who took part in the AWA were refugees and asylum seekers, with eight going on to work at the festival, in a mix of paid and voluntary roles. Three of the group also helped the artists set up, taking on apprentice roles in Victoria Gardens and St Mary’s the day before the start of the festival, as well as stewarding at the event itself. The majority of these young people are from Sudan and are being supported by Street Support. We’re working with them to help them secure vocational training and work opportunities. The festival organisers were really pleased with all our participants, including this group of young people, and have asked if they can return to both Victorious and We Shine next year.

In addition, Create, our self-employment project, sponsored five market stalls at the We Create Market. The market specialises in local makers, designers and artists, and was help in the old Sainsbury’s building over the three days. Box of Secrets by Jayde Weller, Mildred Trouble Shop by Louise Lea, UNDERDOCK Label by Evgeniya Dragoeva, Craft & Tonic by Lynsey Pleasance, and Funky Ferret Studios by William Disberry were supported by the Create team to showcase their products at the market.

“It was excellent. I enjoyed it all over the three days and the people were very nice as well.” Hannah

“It was awesome” Shane

From Street Support young people:

“I was allowed different things to see what I liked"

"I saw indoor a church"

"Abri help me find things to try"

"Lots of people were nice and were happy"

"What can I do next?"

"I liked seeing the lights in park that I helped set up"

"Yeah it was pretty good and an excellent opportunity for us"

"Felt like I was a bit important"