Youth Dance Development Plan

Youth Dance Development Business Plan

Dance City, North East England

Photo credit: Carl Cordonnier © Dance City 2009

Enabling youth dance to grow, evolve and flourish.

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Contents Page 3 Executive Summary Page 4 Context: Youth Dance England & Dance City Mission Statements Page 5 Context: Dance City and Young People Page 6 Context: About North East England Economical and political information Dance and Educational Provision in the North East Dance and Cultural Infrastructure in the North East Page 7 Context: Current Youth Dance Provision across the North East Regional Youth Dance Development Plan, pre-2009 Page 8 Context : Assessment of the Context and Market of the North East Page 9 Creating a Youth Dance Strategy for the North East Strategic Aims Pages 10 - 13 Programme Strands Page 14 Delivery Structure Pages 15 - 16 Human Resources Pages 17 - 18 Youth Dance Strategic Action Plan and link to National Brief Page 19 - 20 Milestones Pages 21 Targets Page 22 Outlining the Priorities Pages 23 Budget Page 24 - 25 Appendix 1 – Youth Dance England Mission Statement Page 26 - 27 Appendix 2 –Youth Dance Strategic Administrator – Job Description Page 28 - 31 Appendix 3 – Budgets for Programme Strands Page 32 Appendix 4 – Strategic Tree

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Executive Summary The North East of England is one of the smallest of the English regions covering an area of 8,573 sq km with a population of 2.6 million. The North East of Englandcomprises of the combined area of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Tees Valley. Research and consultation across the North East has highlighted a lack of consistent dance provision and geographic spread across the North East. There is no visible infrastructure for Youth Dance and organisations outside of the cultural sector have no access or clear route that would allow them to clearly trace investment through to engagement with participants. Four key strategic aims have been created to address the issues noted above and to embed the National Brief from Youth Dance England in the North East:

• ADVOCATING increased learning and understanding of youth dance, the National

Brief and the North East priorities

• INCREASING participation in dance by children and young people through

accessible, high quality opportunities

• DEVELOPING leadership skills to raise quality of dance provision

• INSPIRING increased interest in dance through high quality performance

opportunities and experiences

These four strategic aims will be implemented across the region by the creation of six Youth Dance Hubs. The six Youth Dance hubs will be tasked with driving the development of youth dance in their geographic area by pulling together key public and voluntary sector representation to oversee the further implementation of new activity through the division of their area into ‘zones’.Each hub will be led by an experienced, progressive organisation through a Partnership Agreement with Dance City. This infrastructure will move Youth Dance away from being isolated within the cultural sector and create synergy with Local Authority and Statutory bodies as well as delivering on the Every Child Matters agenda showing its value and worth to all bodies engaged with young people. We will stimulate cross-sector demand and develop capacity and infrastructure for Youth Dance, developing new partnerships to widen access and support sustainability. We will develop a joined-up approach to progression routes.We will develop new learning and development networks for young people, arts volunteers and practitioners. Dance City will embed and strongly advocate all of the Strategic Aims regionally and those of Youth Dance England to further enhance our ‘offer’ to the people of the North East and continue to strive to look internationally to share, learn and play. The development of youth dance across the North East of England will be based upon a dynamic three way relationship between Youth Dance England, Dance City and TIN Arts. By mirroring YDE’s strategic partnership building nationally on a regional level, Dance City and TIN Arts can change how youth dance is perceived and valued in the short, medium and long term future. The formation of a strong strategic leadership team, implementation of a regional Hub infrastructure and development of a consistent coherent activity programme through localised activity will cost £367,503.80. Dance City is asking Youth Dance England for £180,000 with the match funding required totalling £187,503.80.

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CONTEXT

About Youth Dance England - Mission Statement

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Youth Dance England is the national organisation that champions, supports and develops dance for young people. We work to create the conditions that ensure every young person can access high quality dance and progress their interest both in and outside of school. Through a shared vision with our national network of Regional Partner Organisations we aim to increase access, raise standards and improve progression routes. Over the next three years with £5.5 million investment from Arts Council England, Department for Children Schools and Families and Department for Culture, Media and Sport, we will work increase the amount of high quality dance activity available to young people, so that dance is fully embedded in a developing culture offer for children and young people. Uniquely our work contributes to both government targets of delivering 5 hours of physical activity and 5 hours of cultural activity per week to all young people. Our work delivers Arts Council England’s priority of engaging more children and young people in the arts and also its objectives: increasing reach, improving engagement and promoting diversity and excellence. For the period 2008-2011, our work will focus on three key priorities:

- to widen access to dance;

- to raise the quality of dance provision for young people through a clear framework of standards in dance practice and;

- to improve progression routes for young people wishing to pursue a career in dance.

We are working towards an aspiration for every child and young person being able to access high quality dance as participants and viewers in their school and near where they live, and progress their interest to whatever level they wish and are able.

About Dance City, the National Dance Agency for the North East – Mission Statement Dance City is an arts organisation which nurtures social transformation and artistic excellence through creative movement.Central to our vision is a belief in the power of the arts to reach across communities and cultures, bringing people together and giving them a means of self-expression. Through performances, classes, workshops and training for the newest of dancers to skilled professionals, and for infants to older people, Dance City provides opportunities in dance for the whole region. Dance City was recently named as the delivery agent for Creative Partnerships Tees Valley, the government’s flagship scheme to deliver creative learning in schools. As an international organisation, Dance City is committed to collaborating with artists and young people from countries affected by conflict and ultimately creating art that celebrates the human spirit in times of adversity and enriches our lives. Dance City’s work is based on the belief that art has the power to transcend personal differences, to help people find common ground and new ways of communicating and, ultimately, to bring about social transformation.

1 A complete version of Youth Dance England’s Mission Statement is included within this Business Plan

as Appendix 1.

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Dance City and young people Over the next 5 years, Dance City is committed to

• engaging with young people at all levels and all backgrounds

• developing young people as leaders both culturally and socially

• providing positive activities and inspiring role models

• counteracting negative perceptions of young people by the public

• addressing key issues around well-being with children and young people in the North East

• developing skills that will lead to employability, including personal skills such as the ability to work as part of a team, and to communicate well

• giving young people the means to express themselves through creative activities

• developing a sense of citizenship and empowerment in young people.

• drawing support from organisations and people who are committed to, and skilled in, working with the young.

Throughout this activity and beyond, Dance City will continually develop a young persons steering group to gain a better understanding of what young people need from the organisation.

By Year 3 Dance City will be working at advanced level of the Hear By Rights Self Assessment Tool. By 2011, Dance City's policies, services & strategies will have been assessed, changed & reviewed (annually) by the youth forum. Dance City is committed to the partnership with Youth Dance England and will embed all activity and learning from this partnership into their own working practice and activity.

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About the North East of England2

The North East of England is one of the smallest of the English regions covering an area 8,573 sq km with a population of 2.6 million. The North East of Englandcomprises of the combined area of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Tees Valley. Economic and Political Information The North East is the poorest of the English regions with GVA per head 20 per cent below the UK average. The number of working-age people inemployment in 2007 (including self-employment)in the North East was just over 71% and is aroundthree percentage points lower than the UKaverage.The North East of England has the highest youth unemployment (ages 16-24) in the UK. Dance and Educational Provision in the North East There are 27 Specialist Arts Colleges (SSAT’s) across the North East of England. There are also 23 Schools Sports Partnerships and these deliver a good level of activity for young people. Although there are some non-Performing Arts schools offering excellent dance provision, the general picture is of little dance provision taking place within few schools. Where activity is occurring it is often delivered by freelance practitioners and not by core educational staff. Dance and Cultural Infrastructure in the North East The vast majority of the cultural venues, organisations and practitioners are based in Tyne & Wear, one of four geographic areas in the North East. This often means there are not enough organisations and freelance practitioners based in the other three areas to service their locality. A positive trend is that sixteen new Community Interest Companies offering

2 Key Source documents: Breaking the Cycle (YouGov 2008), State of the Region (NERIP 2008), and

Arts Matters, a report on the positive impact of the arts on children and young people (Arts Council North East 2007).

County Districts

Northumberland (1) Blyth Valley Wansbeck Castle Morpeth Tynedale Alnwick Berwick-upon-Tweed

Tyne and Wear Newcastle Upon Tyne (2) Gateshead (3) North Tyneside (4) South Tyneside (5) Sunderland (6)

County Durham (7) Durham City Easington Sedgefield Teesdale Wear Valley Derwentside Chester le Street

Tees Valley Darlington (8) Hartlepool (9) Stockton on Tees (10) Redcar and Cleveland (11) Middlesbrough (12)

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participatory dance programmes have registered in the last 2 years in the North East raising the potential of the sector to deliver and reach across the whole of the region. It is estimated that there are also approximately 25 dance graduates joining the North East sector each year. Current Youth Dance Provision across the North East Youth Dance provision is patchy and varying in standards. The four counties look as follows:

• Northumberland – Through the Northumberland Strategic Arts Forum, a new dance development post was created in 2008. This post has started the process of creating participatory dance opportunities across Northumberland with a focus on the South and East areas of the county. Although activity levels are relatively low, opportunities are growing as a direct result of the new post.

• Tyne & Wear – Newcastle is in Tyneside and does encourage and support a lot of youth dance activity on the North side of the River Tyne. Dance City also has a Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) offering a strong progression route for those across the North East wishing to engage in a higher level of training. In Tyneside there is an existing cultural ambassadors network linking schools and cultural organisations. On Wearside (south of the River Tyne) there is little consistent youth dance activity and few spaces where young people can participate in cultural / participatory arts.

• County Durham – For the past four years Co Durham has had a County Youth Dance Programme supported by the County Council. This has included open taster workshops, creation of sub-county youth dance groups (between 5 – 7 per year) as well as a Gifted and Talented programme feeding into the Newcastle-based CAT. There has also been an annual youth dance performance attracting over 170 performers.

• Tees Valley –This area houses 5 district councils that over the past 6 years have seen the benefit of the creation of The Tees Dance Initiative, that subsequently became Tees Valley Dance. With Tees Valley Dance developing a leaning towards performance work a gap has arisen in community dance provision that has yet to be filled and the number of opportunities for young people to engage in dance has decreased. The more recent realignment of Middlesbrough’s Youth Dance Academy as a potential Tees Valley provider creates potential for new growth and though each of the districts has developed youth dance with varying successes, there is a need for foundation work to take place to find a common path.

Regional Youth Dance Development Plan pre-2009 At the end of 2007, Dance City published a Development Plan for North East Youth Dance as a result of their partnership with Youth Dance England through the employment of a Regional Youth Dance Coordinator. Following a wide audit and consultation process in 2007, key responses from people engaged in the development of Youth Dance across the North East were articulated:

• Connecting networks of support for both young dancers as well as youth dance leaders

• More workshops focused around increasing young people’s participation in dance

• Continued communication channels – e-newsletter telling us what is going on

• Further accreditation opportunities for young dancers

• Teachers trained to overcome their fear of dance, replacing it with confidence and enjoyment

Within a proposed action plan post-2007, potential Programme Strands were highlighted:

• Youth Dance Leaders Programmes

• Website development

• Dance Leader Forum

• Sub-regional and regional youth dance festivals

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Further Research As well as a source for the background context, the reports into social, cultural and health trends in the North East used as part of this process highlight more concerns:

• Arts Council North East and Newcastle City Council both put Children & Young People as key priorities. The Arts Council’s policy for the North East includes testing new ways in involving young people in making decisions about the arts. (Great Art for Everyone 2008 - 2011, North East)

Assessment of the Context and market of the North East This Business Plan draws upon the cultural, social and geographic context of the North East as highlighted previously and also recognises the consultation that took place in 2007 and formed the regional youth dance development plan. The key issues / priorities can be summarised as follows:

• An inequality of opportunity for young people to engage in youth dance based upon geographically uneven levels of activity.

• A lack of investment in young people as leaders and drivers of youth dance activity.

• A lack of a common vision for youth dance across the region and no tangible strategy to address change.

• A historical pattern of looking to Dance City in Newcastle to lead development, with limited drawing together of local key strategic partners to lead on change at a county level.

• A heavy lack of suitably qualified experienced practitioners available outside of Tyne & Wear to service and deliver region-wide activity.

• A lack at addressing the barriers that prevent excluded groups of young people from engaging in youth dance such as those with a disability.

To address these issues a number of key targets have been set:

• To create a regional infrastructure so that Children and Young People are able to engage in participatory and performance opportunities within dance in their immediate local area as well as being encouraged to be actively mobile across the whole of the region.

• To increase the number of opportunities for young people to take part in youth dance activity, explore areas of leadership through dance and develop creative skills through choreographic programming.

• To remove the barriers that young people face to engaging in youth dance.

• To create more opportunities for young people to experience high quality professional performance work and create annual platforms at which young people can perform themselves.

• To create, support and train a regional network of in-school providers based in educational settings and / or school sports partnerships to raise confidence and enjoyment by leaders in leading participatory dance activity.

• To support out-of-school providers through training and advocacy to raise the quality and standard of practitioners available to lead activity across the region.

• To increase the level of understanding of how dance can support wellbeing, community cohesion, neighbourhood renewal and healthy lifestyles as well as the Every Child Matters agenda alongside traditional artform-specific skills.

• To break down the barriers to engagement with particularly isolated groups such as those at risk, those for whom English is a second language and those with a disability.

• To increase the number of organisations, cultural and non-cultural, who through increased understanding of the value of youth dance, actively develop new and / or further programming of youth dance opportunities.

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Creating a Youth Dance Strategy for the North East To achieve change across the North East, supporting youth dance to grow and flourish, four strategic aims have been identified and all activity will address one or more of these. All four of the strategic aims are reflective of the National Brief to widen access, raise standards and provide progression routes. The four strategic aims are long-term and provide a route map for the youth dance in the North East beyond 2011. Strategic Aims: SA1 - ADVOCATING increased learning and understanding of youth dance, the National Brief and the North East priorities SA1 is concerned with connecting the North East through communication and active discussion. It recognises that knowledge is at the heart of change. An increased understanding of the role of youth dance, and how Youth Dance England are investing in high quality opportunities for young people to engage nationally and regionally will draw together key stakeholders and potential partners to address the areas identified for change to occur. Recently a new support development entitled ‘Dance Northumberland’ has been initiated by the Northumberland Strategic Arts Partnership supporting out-of-school providers. SA2 - INCREASING participation in dance by children and young people through accessible, high quality opportunities SA2 will lead to a significant rise in engagement by young people in Youth Dance. By increasing the offer to young people ensuring that high quality is ever-present and that all activity has purpose and is meaningful, young people will increasingly value the benefits to be gained from taking part on youth dance activity and an impetus regionally will be visibly apparent. SA3 – DEVELOPING leadership skills to raise quality of dance provision For young people across the North East to be able to engage in youth dance, there needs to be a rise in the number and quality of activity leaders available. SA3 strives to create the leaders of the future, support current leaders with a passion but limited experience and actively push those who lead well to share their experiences and knowledge with others. SA4 - INSPIRING increased interest in dance through high quality performance opportunities and experiences When inspired we are all capable of great things. The willingness of young people to engage in youth dance activity will increase through experiencing inspirational, amazing, high quality professional work and by also having the opportunity to perform in a professional space for their peers, families and others. To create the right context for all four strategic aims to have impact, the North East will be divided into 6 Dance Hubs. Each Dance hub will be led by an experienced, progressive organisation drawing together key public and voluntary sector representation to form a steering group. This steering group will oversee the implementation of a number of local ‘Zones’ within their geographic ‘Hub’ area delivering a base level of activity hereon referred to as the D-Step programme. The location of the Dance Hubs will be informed by and reflective of current infrastructure already in place set by government initiatives, local authority structures, School Sports Partnerships as well as an existing youth arts infrastructure created by Youth Music. Within each Strategic Aim, a number of Programme Strands have been created to form the activity.

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Programme Strands SA1 - ADVOCATING increased learning and understanding of youth dance, the National Brief and the North East priorities SA1, PS1 (Strategic Aim 1, Programme Strand 1) – Youth Forum Ongoing consultation with young people to influence programme activity programme and future direction. This will take the form of a group of young people working with Dance City to form a model that can be eventually rolled out across the Dance Hubs placed across the North East. This development ties in with current activity at Dance City through Freshest Bairns, an urban arts based participatory / performance programme. SA1, PS2 – Sharing the Word Online resource and e-newsletter sharing information and celebrating success with children, young people, individuals, organisations and other relevant bodies. Also distribution of an advocacy document outlining the newly developed regional structure tied to National Brief and regional priorities so that potential investors can trace a visible route to engaging with Dance Hubs and focus ‘Zones’ within the Hubs. The Youth Dance Directory (YDD) will also be actively promoted. SA1, PS3 – Regional Symposiums Annual gatherings to inform, update and consult on the effectiveness of the North East Youth Dance Strategic Development and explore how the ongoing National Brief can lay down a template for working across our region with youth dance. SA1, PS4 – Progression Routes Mapping and sharing of information with young people highlighting youth dance activity and potential progression routes including entry level, intermediate and advanced opportunities. SA2 - INCREASING participation in dance by children and young people through accessible, high quality opportunities SA2, PS1 - D-step The umbrella name for the base level activity that each Dance Hub must strive to deliver in ‘zones’ within their area. Activity should include one-off workshops in a variety of styles, continuous activity to create work for performance and tie-ins to existing / related events and festivals. D-Step offers a minimum of 60 hours of programmed contact time annually within each ‘Zone’ for young people. SA2, PS2 - Go Do it! (Linked to SA3, PS2 Young Creatives as regional development) A small grants fund that young people can apply to in order to support the creation of their own choreographic work. A simple application procedure will be created and young people will be able to ask for support for hiring space, purchasing resources or working with a mentor / choreographer. This is part of a regional shift with a number of key organisations creating similar artform specific initiatives including The Sage (music), Baltic (Visual Arts), North Film & Media (film) and Live Theatre (Drama). SA3 - DEVELOPING leadership skills to raise quality of dance provision

SA3, PS1 - Stride Youth Dance England wants to encourage talented and motivated young people between the ages of 14-18yrs to increase their skills and experience as dance leaders. In order to do so, it has programmed Stride! - a residential course, placement and self-development scheme to help explore your talent, abilities and knowledge. The YDST,NE (Youth Dance Strategic Team, North East) will work to raise awareness of the application process and increase the number of young people from the North East applying. SA3, PS2 - Young Creatives Youth Dance England is very excited to be working with the Royal Opera House over the next three years to support our choreographic project (Young Creatives) that aims to support and

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showcase choreography created by 15 to 19 year olds. The YDST,NE will work to raise awareness of the application process and increase the number of young people from the North East applying. SA3, PS3 - Dance Links Dance Links aims to increase the number of young people participating in high quality dance by creating more links between schools and out of school dance providers. It is an important initiative that addresses the government’s target for every child and young person to participate in five hours of physical activity per week in and outside of school. The YDST,NE will work to raise awareness of the application process and increase the number of practitioners within the North East attending. SA3, PS4 - Dance Activity Programme 2 -4 projects run in each region focussed on ‘under performing’ SSP’s to actively promote new dance participation experiences. Challenge funding is made available to those schools that fully engage with the Making Links initiative – attending market place events and making links with out-of-school dance providers. SA3, PS5 - New Moves (Young People) Supporting young people to celebrate their achievements by raising the profile of through initiatives such as Arts Award and the Community Dance Leaders Award. Each of the Dance Hubs will be given targets of the number of young people annually undertaking either the Arts Award or the CDLA. SA3, PS6 - Educative Moves (In-school providers) A programme of Continuing Professional Development, including an annual conference to share learning and a newly initiated ‘supported delivery’ model to raise the standard of delivery by in-school providers. Within this programme strand a lot of work will also be done on formalising a region-wide network engaging In-school providers alongside School Sports Partnerships and Arts-in-Education Agencies. It will also inspire in-school providers recognising their role as creative collaborators and artists. SA3, PS7 - Community Moves (Out-of-school providers) A programme of training, mentoring, Continued Professional Development and inspiring experiences designed to address the needs of out of school providers whether leading within educational environments or in community settings. This will include development of a Cultural Volunteering / mentoring programme for new graduates to work with experienced leaders and investment in supporting local non-active youth leaders to deliver movement based activity. SA4 - INSPIRING increased interest in dance through high quality performance opportunities and experiences SA4, PS1 – U.Dance The U.Dance programme, led by Youth Dance England will create more dance performance opportunities across the country at local, county, regional and national levels to offer access to dance for children and young people in and outside of schools. Within the North East Level 1 will be actively encouraged and promoted, each Dance Hub will lead on an annual Level 2 performance and the YDST,NE will curate at least one Level 3 performance each year. SA4, PS2 - ‘Go see it!’ (linked to SA4, PS1 – U.Dance as offer to those schools who have participated in U.Dance) A small grants fund that young people, schools and groups can apply to part-subsidise them attending and experiencing professional theatre work. Will be targeted to traditional non-attendees at conventional professional theatre.

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Delivery Structure To create a coherent visible structure, the North East will be divided into 6 Dance Hubs. Each Dance hub will be led by an experienced, progressive organisation through a Partnership Agreement with Dance City. These organisations will be varied in their background and in their experience of interfacing with youth dance. The 6 Dance hubs led by locally based organisations will be tasked with driving the development of youth dance in their area by pulling together key public and voluntary sector representation to form a steering group. This steering group will oversee the implementation of a number of local ‘zones’ within their geographic ‘Hub’ area delivering a base level of activity previously referred to as the D-Step programme. This may require the initiation of new activity in some areas and the re-alignment / consolidation of existing activity in others. The Youth Forum will support the monitoring / evaluation review of each LPO and Hub to inform discussions. A clear lineage will be able to be traced back from local youth dance activity taking place in ‘zones’ back to the Regional Partner Organisation, Dance City and then conversely to Youth Dance England and the National Brief. The location of the Dance Hubs will be informed by and reflective of current infrastructure already in place set by government initiatives, local authority structures, School Sports Partnerships as well as an existing youth arts infrastructure created by Youth Music. Adopting this structure will mean that there will provisionally be up to 23 potential ‘Zones ‘sitting within the 6 Dance Hubs in total.

KEY Specialist Arts Colleges School Sports Partnerships Potential ‘Zones’ within Dance Hubs

Northumberland Dance Hub

North – South Tyneside Dance Hub

Newcastle - Gateshead Dance Hub

Sunderland Dance Hub

Durham Dance Hub

Tees Valley Dance Hub

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Human Resources

Lead organisations of Dance Hubs - Service Agreement Though the Service Agreements will be finalised through negotiation it is expected that any agreement will include the following:

• An audit and mapping of current youth dance activity within their respective

Hub

• The creation of a steering group of representation from the public and voluntary sector to oversee development of the Hub

• The implementation of ‘zones’ within their Hub and the delivery of a D-Step programme with a minimum of contact time stipulated within each ‘zone’

• Adoption of partnership programmes brokered by the YDSM that respond to their respective Dance Hubs needs.

• An annual Hub-based U.Dance platform (Level 2)

• Ongoing advocacy of the National Brief, local Hub activity and other related areas

• The overseeing of recruitment, contracting and management of practitioners delivering on their programme within their respective Hub

• Accountability relating to safeguarding of children and young people as well as good practice in relation to health & safety of activity and spaces

• Capture and reporting back of required monitoring information, qualitative and quantitative

• Participation in annual performance reviews as well as regional theme-focused planning days and symposiums

• Where possible, to secure further funding to support activity. Financial Matters – An investment of £48,000 (£4,000 per lead organisation per annum) devolved to the lead organisations for the buy-out of staff time to manage the hub.

Youth Dance England Dance City

Lead Partner Organisation Youth Dance Strategy Team

Artistic Director

Youth Dance Strategy Manager

Dance Hubs

Advisory Group

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Youth Dance Strategic Development Action Plan and link to National Brief Timescale Short: 0-1 year Medium: 1 – 3 years Long term: 4 years or longer Strategic Objectives Key Actions External

Partners Outputs Timescale National

Brief

SA1 - ADVOCATING increased learning and understanding of youth dance, the National Brief and the North East priorities

1. Establish a Youth Dance Strategic team 2. Develop an effective communications strategy 3. Develop an online presence with news, events, opportunities and local contacts (PS2) 4. Host regular gatherings regionally to advocate the National Brief and regional priorities (PS3) 5. Distribute a regular e-newsletter with news, events, opportunities and local contacts(PS2) 6. Establish a Youth Forum based at Dance City with young people from across the North East (PS1) 7. Research, map and share clear progression routes for young dancers(PS4)

Schools, SSAT’s in Sports / Arts, Local Strategic Arts Officers, Local arts organisations, Culturally Diverse organisations, CAT, Voluntary Sector, Key Arts Agencies, Cultural venues FE / HE institutions

1. Effective regional youth dance strategic team 2. Consistent working methods to grow confidence and expectation in youth dance development in region 3. Increased presence and raised profile for youth dance across the region 4. Increased interest by potential partners in developing and investing in youth dance 5. Increased number of subscribers receiving youth dance e-newsletter 6. Effective Youth forum engaging with youth voice 7. Information sharing clear progression routes for young dancers

1. Short 2. Short / medium 3. Short / medium 4. Medium 5. Medium 6. Short / medium 7. Medium

1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.4; 1.5; 2.1; 2.5; 3.1; 5.1; 5.2; 6.1; 6.2

SA2 – INCREASING participation in dance by children and young people through accessible, high quality opportunities

1. Creation of 6 Hubs across the region led by local strategic organisations drawing in key stakeholders in Advisory groups to drive activity 2. Creation of ‘zones’ within Hubs to place activity at a local level in a variety of settings including cultural venues, community and educational settings 3. Implementation of the D-Step programme as a guide to the base level of activity that should be offered in all Youth Dance Zones (PS1) 4. Implementation of 'Go Do It!', a young people’s choreographic support fund (PS2) 5. Implementation of Partnership Programmes

Schools, Local Education Authorities, SSAT’s in Sports / Arts, Local Strategic Arts Officers, Local arts organisations, Culturally Diverse organisations, CAT, Voluntary Sector,Strategic Health Authority, Cultural venues, Cultural Olympiad

1. Regional infrastructure of 6 Hubs leading youth dance on a local level 2. Creation of up to 23 ‘zones’ across region 3. Base level of youth dance activity reaching across the whole of the region 4. Increase in the number of young people choreographing new work 5. Increased number of active partners investing in engagement with young people through youth dance

1.Short 2. Short 3. Short 4. Medium 5. Medium

1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.4; 1.5; 2.1; 2.3; 2.4; 2.5; 3.1; 4.2; 5.2; 6.2

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SA3 – Developing leadership to raise quality of dance provision

1. Implementation of national initiatives Stride & Youth Creatives(PS1, PS2) 2. Implementation of national initiative Dance Links (PS3) 3. Implementation of national initiative 'Dance Activity Programme'(PS4) 4. Creation and roll-out of New Moves Programme (PS5) 5. Creation and roll-out of Educative Moves Programme (PS6) 6. Creation and roll-out of Community Moves Programmes(PS7)

SSAT's in Sports / Arts, NDTA, Northern Cultural Skills Partnership, Arts Council England, Strategic Local Arts Officers, Local arts organisations, Cultural venues, Arts in Education Agencies, Key Arts Agencies, Colleges, Universities & other training providers, National Science Learning Centre, Find Your Talent.

1. Increased number of young people participating in national initiatives 2. Increased number of skilled practitioners able to lead participatory school-based activity 3. Stronger working relationship between YDSM, PDM's and practitioners 4. Development of young people as leaders and initiators of new youth dance activity 5. Development of in-school providers as informed deliverers of high quality activity 6. Development of out-of-school providers as informed deliverers of high quality activity

1. Medium 2. Medium / Long 3. Medium 4. Medium / Long 5. Medium / Long 6. Medium / Long

1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.4; 1.5; 2.1; 2.3; 2.4; 2.5; 3.1; 3.2; 3.3; 5.1; 5.2; 6.1; 6.2

SA4 - Inspiring increased interest in dance through high quality performance opportunities and experiences

1. Develop regional take-up of U.Dance at Levels 1 and 2(PS1) 2. Lead on regional U.Dance Level 3(PS1) 3. Implementation of ‘Go See It!’, a fund to support young people to independently plan, and with support, travel to see professional theatre(PS2) 4. Work across the region with cultural venues to explore access for young people to professional theatre, programming and potential youth dance touring circuit

SSAT's in Sports / Arts, Strategic Local Arts Officers, Local arts organisations, Cultural venues, Key Arts Agencies, Arts Council England, Rural Touring Schemes, Community Associations, Local Authorities, Private & Corporate Sector, CAT, Find Your Talent.

1.Increased number of young people performing annually in Youth Dance 2. Inspirational regional youth dance platform highlighting depth of talent in North East and feeding onto Level 4 3. Increased number of young people experiencing and being inspired by professional theatre 4. Increased number of opportunities for young people to experience professional theatre as well as perform in theatres themselves

1. Medium 2. Short / Medium 3. Medium 4. Medium

1.2; 2.1; 2.3; 2.4; 2.5; 5.2; 6.2

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Milestones Strategic Objectives Key Actions Target Date Lead Responsibility Supporting partners

SA1 - ADVOCATING increased learning and understanding of youth dance, the National Brief and the North East priorities

1. Establish a Youth Dance Strategy team 2. Develop an effective communications strategy 3. Develop an online presence with news, events, opportunities and local contacts 4. Host regular gatherings regionally to advocate the National Brief and regional priorities 5. Distribute a regular e-newsletter with news, events, opportunities and local contacts 6. Establish a Youth Forum based at Dance City with young people from across the North East

1. July 2009 2. April 2009 3. June 2009 4. Ongoing 5. February 2009 & recurring monthly 6. July 2009

1. YDS Manager 2. YDS Manager 3. YDS Manager 4. YDS Manager 5. YDS Manager 6. YDS Manager

1. Dance City SM team 2. Dance City Head of Communications and Development 3. Dance City Head of Communications and Development 4. YDS Administrator 5. YDS Administrator 6. YDS Administrator

SA2 – INCREASING participation in dance by children and young people through accessible, high quality opportunities

1. Appointment of lead organisations to initiate creation of 6 Hubs across the region 2. Creation of Hubs Steering group in each locality 3. Submitted proposal from each Hub outlining first years programme with funding details and partners 4. Implementation of the D-Step programme 5. Implementation of 'Go Do It!'

1. April 2009 2. May 2009 3. July 2009 4. September 2009 5. April 2010

1. YDS Manager 2. Lead Partner Organisations in each Hub 3. LPO in each Hub 4. LPO in each Hub with partners 5. YDS Manager

1.Dance City SM team 2. YDS Manager 3. YDS Manager 4. YDS Manager 5. LPO in each Hub

17

SA3 – DEVELOPING leadership to raise quality of dance provision

1. Implementation of national initiatives Stride & Youth Creatives Y1 2. Implementation of national initiative Dance Links Y1 3. Implementation of national initiative 'Dance Activity Programme' Y1 4. Creation and roll-out of New Moves Programme 5. Creation and roll-out of Educative Moves Programme 6. Creation and roll-out of Community Moves Programmes

1. August 2009 2. September 2009 3. September 2009 4. September 2009 5. September 2009 6. September 2009

1. LPO / Hubs 2. YDS Coordinator 3. YDS Coordinator 4. YDS Coordinator 5. YDS Coordinator 6. YDS Coordinator

1. YDS Coordinator 2. YDS team 3. YDS team 4. YDS team 5. YDS team 6. YDS team

SA4 - Inspiring increased interest in dance through high quality performance opportunities and experiences

1. Develop regional take-up of U.Dance at Levels 1 2. Annual programming of U.Dance at Level 2 3. Annual programming of U.Dance Level 3 4. Implementation of ‘Go See It!’, a fund to support young people to independently plan, and with support, travel to see professional theatre 5. Work across the region with cultural venues to explore access for young people to professional theatre, programming and potential youth dance touring circuit

1. September 2009 2. Completed by March 2010 3. Take place April 2010 4. April 2010 5. Ongoing

1.YDS Coordinator 2. LPO / Hubs 3. YDS Coordinator 4. YDS Manager 5. YDS Manager

1. LPO / Hubs 2. YDS Coordinator 3. YDS Coordinator 4. YDS Coordinator 5. Dance City Artistic Director

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Targets

YEAR 1 YEAR 2

Programme Target per annum

New

c-G

ate

s

D'H

am

No

rth

'lan

d

Tees V

N-S

Tyn

esid

e

S'lan

d

New

c-G

ate

s

D'H

am

No

rth

'lan

d

Tees V

N-S

Tyn

esid

e

S'lan

d

ADVOCACY

Youth Forum Number of young people recruited to form YF group 10 10

Sharing the Word Number of subscribers to The Groove e newsletter 360 400

National Brief Symposiums Number of annual symposiums 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

PARTICIPATION

D-Step Number of young people engaged in activity 120 360 360 300 120 120 140 380 380 320 140 140

Number of workshops through D-Step 60 180 180 150 60 60 70 210 210 175 70 70

Go Do It! Number of young people supported 0 50

LEADERSHIP

Stride Number of young people applying 24 36

Young Creatives Number of young people submitting work 20 30

Dance Links Number of practitioners taking part in training 12 12

DAP Number of new projects initiated 8 8

New Moves Number of young people doing Arts Award (Dance) 30 30 30 30 30 30 60 60 60 60 60 60

Number of young people doing DCLA Award 12 12 12 12 12 12 24 24 24 24 24 24

Educative Moves Number of in-school providers training 40 40 40 40 40 40 45 45 45 45 45 45

Number in-school providers networking 40 40 40 40 40 40 45 45 45 45 45 45

Community Moves Number of out of school providers training 40 40 40 40 40 40 45 45 45 45 45 45

Number of Dance Cultural Volunteers 12 12

Number of org's hosting Dance C Volunteers 4 8

INSPIRE

U.Dance Number of performances at Level 1 30 45

Number of performances at Level 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Number of performances at Level 3 1 1

Go See it! Number of young people attending theatre 0 600

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Priorities Any investment made against this Business Plan should make reference to the priority listing below. Items which are most important are listed first, descending down to the least important. However it must be noted that the plan is a holistic vision with all infrastructure, activities and programmes interfacing together to make the whole.

1. Establishing an effective Youth Dance Strategy Team

2. Partner Service Agreements with Lead Partner Organisations to create 6 regional Hubs 3. Investing in Strategic Aim 2

4. Investing in Strategic Aim 3

5. Investing in Strategic Aim 4

6. Investing in Strategic Aim 1

Additional Information Use of Nationally Authored Resources: Dance City proposes to work with the other YDSM’s to disseminate resources authored by the various regions. A list of regional toolkits is currently being formulated by the 9 YDSM’s on the understanding that these can be used by YDSM’s and their Regional Partner Organisations.

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Appendix 1 - Youth Dance England Mission Statement

Youth Dance England is the national organisation that champions, supports and develops dance for

young people. We work to create the conditions that ensure every young person can access high quality

dance and progress their interest both in and outside of school. Through a shared vision with our national

network of Regional Partner Organisations we aim to increase access, raise standards and improve

progression routes. Our RPOs include:

North East – Dance City Newcastle

North West – The Lowry, Salford

Yorkshire – Yorkshire Dance, Leeds

East Midlands – Dance 4, Nottingham

West Midlands – DanceXchange, Birmingham

East - The Junction, Cambridge

London – Sadler’s Wells

South East – Hampshire Dance; Eastleigh

South West – Dance South West, Bournemouth.

Over the next three years with £5.5 million investment from Arts Council England, Department for Children

Schools and Families and Department for Culture, Media and Sport, we will work closely with the nine

Youth Dance Strategy Managers, based in the RPOs, and key national organisations to increase the

amount of high quality dance activity available to young people, so that dance is fully embedded in a

developing culture offer for children and young people.

Uniquely our work contributes to both government targets of delivering 5 hours of physical activity and 5

hours of cultural activity per week to all young people. We will work closely with the Find Your Talent

hubs, Specialist Schools & Academies Trust and Youth Sport Trust to make a more cohesive dance offer

for young people. Dance is the second most popular physical activity to football and particularly

attractive to girls and young women who can be resistant to participating in sport. It is also a powerful art

form for young people who find it a potent medium for artistic expression and defining cultural identity.

Our work delivers Arts Council England’s priority of engaging more children and young people in the arts

and also its objectives: increasing reach, improving engagement and promoting diversity and

excellence.

For the period 2008-2011, our work will focus on three key priorities:

- to widen access to dance;

- to raise the quality of dance provision for young people through a clear framework of standards

in dance practice and;

- to improve progression routes for young people wishing to pursue a career in dance.

We are working towards an aspiration for every child and young person being able to access high

quality dance as participants and viewers in their school and near where they live, and progress their

interest to whatever level they wish and are able.

To do this we are:

• Developing U.Dance- a national framework to stimulate and coordinate dance performances

at local, county, regional and national levels in and outside of schools, underpinned by

Continuing Professional Development for teachers. It aims to provide every child and young

person with an opportunity to participate in a dance performance each year.

• Making links between schools, dance providers and Centres for Advanced Training so that

more children and young people can extend their involvement in dance.

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• Extending Stride!the Young Dance Entrepreneurs programme, which develops young leaders.

Following a successful pilot in 2008 the programme will be made available nationally from

2009, to provide young advocates to encourage participation in dance.

• Developing Young Creatives, an annual programme designed to showcase the work of

talented young choreographers aged 15-19, giving them the valuable support and profile

they need in order to progress in dance.

• We will produce a nationally recognised qualification, in partnership with other dance

organisations, in order to increase the number of skilled dance teachers able to work with

children and young people in informal settings.

• We will extend training and networking opportunities for dance providers to connect with

schools, delivered through the PESSYP funded Dance Links programme.

• We will pilot new School Dance Coordinator posts, to raise standards in dance teaching in

schools.

• Conferences 2009 and 2010 will bring the dance profession together to share practice,

information and input on developing national strategy

• Improving and extending information and resource services including the interactive Youth

Dance Directory , YDE web site, Careers in Dance pdf and dance space directory

• Y’D Screen – a dance film programme for young people

• Developing practice in Dance and Health through bringing together key players to co-

ordinate research and developments in the field (Further projects to be initiated when

additional funding is in place).

There is much ground to be covered in a relatively short period of time. We are confident that we can

make a significant change to the provision of young people’s dance over the next three years and

create firm foundations for future developments.

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Appendix 4 – Strategic Tree

Mission Statements

Youth Dance England work to create the conditions that ensure every young person can access high quality dance and progress their interest both in and outside of school. Dance City nurtures social transformation and artistic excellence through creative movement.

Aims Widen Access / Raise Standards / Progression routes (running across all Strategic Objectives)

Strategic Objectives

SA1 - ADVOCATING increased learning and understanding of youth dance, the National Brief

and the North East priorities

SA2 - INCREASING participation in dance by children and young people

through accessible, high quality opportunities

SA3 - DEVELOPING leadership skills to raise quality of dance provision

SA4 - INSPIRING increased interest in dance through high quality

performance opportunities and experiences

Synopsis Connecting the North East

through effective communication and active discussion.

Increasing the offer to young people with purposeful and meaningful activity

Creating the leaders of the future, supporting those leading today and

actively pushing those who lead well to share their knowledge

Providing access to inspirational, high quality experiences and opportunities to see professional dance and perform in

professional spaces

Programme Strands

PS

1 -

Youth

Foru

m

PS

2 -

Sharing the w

ord

PS

3 -

Regio

nal S

ym

posiu

ms

PS

4 -

Pro

gre

ssio

n R

oute

s

PS

1 -

D-S

tep

PS

2 -

Go D

o I

t!

PS

1 -

Str

ide

PS

2 -

The Y

oung C

reatives

PS

3 -

Dance L

inks

PS

4 -

DA

P

PS

5 -

New

Moves

PS

6 -

Educative M

oves

PS

7 -

Com

munity

Moves

PS

1 -

U.D

ance

PS

2 -

Go S

ee It!

Delivery Partners

Schools, SSAT’s in Sports / Arts, Local Strategic Arts Officers,

Local arts organisations, Culturally Diverse organisations, CAT, Voluntary Sector, Key Arts Agencies, Cultural venues FE /

HE institutions

Schools, Local Education Authorities, SSAT’s in Sports / Arts, Local Strategic Arts Officers, Local arts organisations, Culturally Diverse organisations, CAT,

Voluntary Sector, Strategic Health Authority, Cultural venues, Cultural

Olympiad

SSAT's in Sports / Arts, NDTA, Northern Cultural Skills Partnership, Arts Council England, Strategic Local Arts Officers,

Local arts organisations, Cultural venues, Arts in Education Agencies, Key Arts

Agencies, Colleges, Universities & other training providers, National Science Learning Centre, Find Your Talent.

SSAT's in Sports / Arts, Strategic Local Arts Officers, Local arts organisations,

Cultural venues, Key Arts Agencies, Arts Council England, Rural Touring

Schemes, Community Associations, Local Authorities, Private & Corporate

Sector, CAT, Find Your Talent.

National Brief 1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.4; 1.5; 2.1; 2.5;

3.1; 5.1; 5.2; 6.1; 6.2 1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.4; 1.5; 2.1; 2.3; 2.4; 2.5;

3.1; 4.2; 5.2; 6.2 1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.4; 1.5; 2.1; 2.3; 2.4; 2.5;

3.1; 3.2; 3.3; 5.1; 5.2; 6.1; 6.2 1.2; 2.1; 2.3; 2.4; 2.5; 5.2; 6.2

Underpinning Dance Hubs / Progression-Aspiration-Reach-Transformation-Education-Expression

24