Opening doors for young people
through education, arts and new media

L'Ouverture provides arts and media activities for children and young people that help them to overcome barriers and achieve their potential.  We present a world of inspiration, energy, excitement and creativity, giving young people opportunities for personal development and learning as they grow to become confident, competent and creative individuals.  L’Ouverture has a 30-year track record of delivering projects in inner city London.

We believe

• Every young person has the right to the opportunity to fulfil their potential
  
• Social and economic disadvantage erects barriers to achievement
  
• The arts and creativity have the power to overcome these barriers and transform lives – by engaging, stimulating, inspiring and motivating
  
• The full benefits of the arts and creativity comes from active involvement and creation of an end product

Our purpose

There are young people in the inner city who have huge potential. Social and economic disadvantage creates barriers to the achievement of this potential – creating problems for them, their communities and society as a whole.

Many children and young people have creative and artistic talent that can remain hidden, and, even if discovered, they may lack the self-confidence or motivation to succeed. 

For many inner city youngsters, the world is filled with anger and violence. Acts of aggression are committed to each other in school, on the streets and even at home. The external environment can be a fearful place. In such an environment the young people can either become perpetrators or recipients of such behaviour.

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L’Ouverture exists to empower these young people to overcome the barriers they face by guiding their energy into creative talents that then result in self development, learning and personal growth.

Through a unique interdisciplinary approach to education and training, we are able to equip them with precious real life skills so that they may contribute positively to the whole community. 

Through a wide range of innovative and challenging programmes we are able to transform lives – by engaging, stimulating, inspiring and motivating the young people.

L’Ouverture provides a helping hand to young people, in a safe and constant environment, through life’s journey from child to adult.   This means playing a listening and supporting role and helping each individual to build self-awareness, self-control, self-confidence, social competence and emotional intelligence. 

L’Ouverture strives to improve the life and future of young people in the inner city.

Our beneficiaries

Young people aged 5 -19 living in the inner city and facing challenges as a result of social and economic pressures.

Focusing on young people aged 5 -12 who:

• have little or no access to creative activities during school time due to curriculum constraints
  
• would like to access creative activities out side of school hours but are prevented due to economic problems

and young people aged 13-16 who:

• have become disenfranchised, disengaged and/or excluded from education/society
• are underachieving in education
• show latent creative talent

Continuing our relationship with those from this core group beyond age 16 (up to age 25) who:

• wish to continue in further education or employment in the arts/creative industries
  
• wish to become media professionals and teachers

Initially focusing on:

London and more specifically Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Tower Hamlets

How we work

What we do

• Involve young people in creative activities - integrating these with basic skills learning and attainment of general educational qualifications where appropriate
  
• Teach creative industry skills (performance arts, creative writing, design etc) and related practical skills (IT, social skills etc)
  
• Support the young people to progress beyond L’Ouverture

Our programmes

NIDUS

The NIDUS programme is for children aged 8-12 years living within the inner city of South-East and East London.  The purpose of the programme is to provide arts and creative activities for children from less advantaged backgrounds, as it is recognized that the arts play a positive role in dealing with inequality, social exclusion and poverty.  

By nurturing the talents of 8-12 year olds we can harness their creative power and instil in them a sense of achievement and self-belief, supporting them to develop their potential in other aspects of their lives. 

Creative activity can also bring to life aspects of the school curriculum in a way that promotes development of personal and basic skills.  For example, drama involves reading and writing, media projects involve the development of IT skills.

aimup

The aimup programme encompasses activities and training projects for young people aged 13+ who are still at school or excluded from school, for young people aged 16-25 who have left school, and for freelance artists.  The purpose of the programme is to train young people in digital and performance arts, technical and IT activities, in order to re-engage them in learning where they have strayed away; to open up opportunities and provide pathways to achievement and progression; and to develop personal and vocational skills to help them to reach their potential.  L’Ouverture supports artists to increase their economic potential through training in marketing, IT and digital arts and, through employing them on a freelance basis as tutors, to pass on their skills to children and young people.

L’Ouverture Trustees

Acting Chair - Ian Borman, Partner, Allen & Overy LLP
Treasurer – Barry Douglas, Director of Finance, Goldsmiths, University of London
Secretary – Vivienne Rose, Administrator for PACE, Goldsmiths, University of London
Ella Bennett, Human Resources Director, Fujitsu Services Limited
Kate De Haan, Architect