RIRO

(Reach In Reach Out)

'Reach In and Reach Out' (RIRO) is a co-produced project with those aged 16-24 who live in the Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and North Somerset area. Building on the good practice demonstrated by our six delivery partners, RIRO aims to explore the link between creativity, wellbeing, community engagement and volunteering.

RIRO is co-ordinated by Arts & Health South West and will share learning regionally and nationally in the form of a framework or toolkit that is adaptable to different types and scales of cultural venues, programmes and events.

Research shows that engaging in creative activities can have a positive impact on health and wellbeing and the development of personal attributes like positive self-image, confidence, and social engagement. The project is working across three areas where the project delivery partners are developing experimental workshops and creative activities with young people in their area:

· Bristol: creativeShift and John Wesley's New Room
· Bath & North East Somerset: Holburne Museum and Creativity Works
· Weston-super-Mare: For All Healthy Living Centre and Theatre Orchard

Throughout the project, the young people are supported to be equal participants in the creative process. They are encouraged to be innovative and imaginative in the way they help the cultural and heritage practitioners to think about working and volunteering with young people. The process will be one of reciprocal learning between young people, creative practitioners and cultural and heritage professionals. As such, the RIRO project aims to support young people to develop their creative skills and interest in cultural and heritage contexts and work opportunities

RIRO is supported by Arts & Health South West, and funded by Art Council England's Volunteering Futures Fund. An additional £10,000 for the RIRO project has been funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players.

More information is available at https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/riro

Key Bristol Milestones

The project spanned over 2 years of co-production, collaboration and exploration with various cultural venues and creative partners.

May

2022

Establishing partnerships

Developing partnerships and recruitment methods. Exploring what we mean by co-production.

September

2022

Delivery of Phase 1

Referred young people began exploring what Community, Wellbeing and Creativity means to them through a series of co-production workshops held in person and online.

February

2023

Phase 2

The co-produced workshop format from Phase 1 was delivered, co-facilitated by first co-hort of participants with new young people taking part.

September

2023

Phase 3

Series of 6 workshops to co-design an exhibition celebrating the work of all the young people involved.

January

2024

Exhibition

All the work from the previous 2 years culminated in a 3 month exhibtion at John Wesley's New Room.

March 2024

Toolkit Launch

The Toolkit Launch Event for the entire RIRO project across the south west hosted by John Wesley New Room. The Toolkit is now available on CHWA website here.