Care to Dance is a social enterprise that supports care-experienced young people through the medium of dance.
Led by social workers and dancers, this unique combination provides a holistic approach for young people to learn various styles of dance whilst creatively expressing themselves within a supportive community.
Check out Care To Dance on Sky News!
What we do
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to pioneer new ways of using dance to support the well-being of care-experienced young people.
We strive to cultivate a safe space for young people to creatively express themselves and feel a sense of belonging within a supportive community.
OUR VISION
A world in which all care experienced young people have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits that come from being involved in dance and feel a sense of belonging in a supportive dance community.
OUR 12 WEEK PROGRAMME
Care to Dance provides a 12 week programme that brings care-experienced young people together for weekly dance classes.
Over the 12 weeks they learn a range of dance genres and work towards a celebration event at the end of the programme where young people perform what they have learnt, showcase their creativity, and celebrate their achievements. We also organise a social event within the 12 weeks, so that young people can socialise outside of the dance studio, build new friendships and create happy memories together.
OUR 12 MONTH PROGRAMME
In our 12 month programme, the young people's exploration of dance is deepened further, and meaningful relationships with one another continue to form and flourish.
The 12 month programme consists of weekly dance classes, various social events, and lots of opportunities to perform throughout the year.
In addition, we also offer a dance leadership programme, whereby young people can obtain Level 1 and Level 2 Dance Leadership qualifications, accredited by Sports Leaders. This will equip them with positive and transferable skills of leadership and confidence, which in turn will enhance their educational achievements and employability.
Alongside dance classes we also provide many social opportunities outside of the dance studio- including trips to the theatre to watch inspiring dance productions, trampolining, bowling, GO-Ape, strolls along the beach, and many more. This encourages young people to create happy memories together, whilst strengthening their relationships and building new friendships.
Who we are
BETH VECCHIONE
Director of Strategy
Regional Lead
Beth qualified as a Social Worker in 2017 and has since been working with children and families. Beth is currently practicing as a Social Worker with children looked after.
Beth is passionate about improving the wellbeing and lives of children and families. Beth has danced since a child and aspires to ensure every young person has a platform to creatively express themselves whilst building meaningful relationships.
Beth strongly believes in the therapeutic benefits that dance can bring to a young person.
AMELIA CHANNON
Artistic Director
London Lead
Amelia is a qualified social worker, working with children and families for the last five years. Amelia also has a dance background; dancing from an early age, she trained in ballet.
More recently, she has continued dancing other styles for pleasure, along with teaching. Care to Dance combines her love for dance with her drive for promoting children’s wellbeing.
She is a true believer that dance is a powerful means of allowing children to express their inner feelings, thoughts and experiences.
Our Delivery Team
We have a delivery team of dance teachers who, alongside their dance expertise, also hold a holistic range of experience and qualifications. This includes Social Work, Dance Movement Therapy, Youth Work, Mentoring/Coaching, to name a few. We believe it is vital for our mission that the delivery team is trauma-informed and has a range of relevant experience to be able to cultivate a safe and meaningful environment where they can holistically support the young people within.
Our teachers offer a range of dance genres- from hip hop, contemporary, lyrical, commercial, bollywood, cheerleading and many more. This gives the young people a broad and diverse introduction to the world of dance.
Who we work with
Below are a selection of the our wonderful clients and organisations we have worked with, past and present:LONDON
NORTH EAST
NORTH WEST
EAST MIDLANDS
SOUTH EAST
OUR THANKS
Our values
INCLUSIVITY
We believe that every young person has the right to access dance and to have the opportunity to creatively express themselves in a safe and supportive environment.
We aim for every young person who attends our programmes to feel a sense of belonging and community within this space. With inclusivity at the heart of what we do, everyone is welcome, and everyone is valued. Care to Dance aims to make dance more accessible to minority groups that may otherwise face barriers accessing dance.
“When I dance, it makes me forget about everything. It is like a new world where I can just be free and no one can judge me” – Young person.
BELONGING
We believe that every care-experienced young person should feel a sense of belonging.
Many care-experienced young people experience isolation and instability. Therefore, through the medium of dance, we aim to create a safe and inclusive community where every young person’s individuality is celebrated.
“Care to Dance is a community that we have built’ it is like a support system. Care to Dance is like my family” – young person.
INNOVATION
We believe that dance offers a non-verbal 'universal language'; an accessible form of expression for all young people”
Using innovation to support care-experienced young people by providing an alternative creative outlet where they can express their feelings and emotions.
"Care to Dance encourages our young people to work as part of a team, they make new friends and develop skills in forming other interests. Care to Dance encourages young people to be creative, you can see growing self-esteem and the hope is that it provides young people with the confidence to know that they can try different things and achieve." Service Manager
CELEBRATION
We believe that care-experienced young people’s talents, interests and potential should be celebrated across the sector.
Within society, there tends to be a narrative surrounding care-experienced young people from a deficit stance.
The achievements they make throughout our programmes are continuously celebrated and gives them the message that they can achieve and attain their goals and aspirations.
“Everyone is welcoming, and they give all the children the praise and encouragement to bring out the best in themselves.” - Carer
The impact
What our
young
people
say:
It is reported by the Independent Review of Children's Services that care-experienced young people often experience marginalisation. Often this means that they do not have opportunities to engage in creative activities.
We aim to overcome these barriers, supporting those who might not have initially felt able to engage in creative activities.
Providing meaningful dance classes that support the development of key skills whilst developing confidence, encouraging relationships, a sense of belonging and experiencing a safe space where they can express themselves through movement.
CLICK HERE to view our Impact Model
OUR IMPACT REPORTS
January 2022 - January 2023
January 2021 - January 2022
January 2020 - January 2021
January 2019 - January 2020
OUR PODCAST
We believe that discussion and campaigning as a community is pivotal in supporting positive change, led by the voices of children and young people.
Check out the podcast led by Inclusion Lead, Cicero, who talks about their lived experience, advocating for meaningful change within the sector.
CONTACT CARE TO DANCE
Call 07868 897816 - info@caretodance.co.uk
