Working with Young People
Who attends our programmes?
The majority of young people attending LIFEbeat residentials are referred to LIFEbeat by organisations or agencies that support vulnerable and disadvantaged young people. In 2023 over 97% of young people received a bursary place (e.g. because they were a recipient of Free School Meals or on Pupil Premium), and approximately 50% were dealing with additional trauma, e.g. at risk of violence, a care leaver or asylum seeker. We worked with our referral partners to identify young people who would most benefit, and when reviewing referrals we considered diversity across racially diverse communities, those living in poverty, gender/sexuality, and urban and rural populations.
Youth Demographics
Gender Identity
Ethnicity
Working With Organisations
Working with Referral Organisations
The majority of young people attending our programmes are referred to us either by their school or college, their local authority or through one of our charity referral partners. Since 2009 LIFEbeat has worked with over 80 schools, charities and community groups to identify the young people who would most benefit from our work. We take referrals from charities that work with young people facing a range of disadvantages including poverty, homelessness, refugee and asylum seekers, LGTBQ+, risk of violence, young carers, poor mental or physical health.
Fight for Peace is an international youth organization and a long-term LIFEbeat partner. For the past 9 years we have been working together to cross-refer young people between programmes. Fight for Peace staff also regularly attend LIFEbeat trainings to learn more about using creativity as a tool for community building and youth work, and also join LIFEbeat residential programmes as staff members.
“We started working with LIFEbeat about 9 years ago. One of our youth workers at the time went on a LIFEbeat camp and when he came back he couldn’t stop talking about how incredible it was. The partnership built from there. Over the years it has just expanded and expanded. We’ve had more youth workers going there and sent more youth referrals. It’s been an incredible partnership. Our staff are able to bring their skills and talents to the LIFEbeat programme and in turn, they learn more about LIFEbeat’s approach of using creativity to build communities.”
Our Partner Organisations
Opportunities For Adults
Working with Adults
Two strands of LIFEbeat’s work are our professional training across London and the South West, and volunteering opportunities for adults.
Professional Training
1.Creative Practice
Our Creative Practice trainings are practical and experiential, designed to upskill and inspire youth workers, teachers, artists and therapists in facilitation skills, introducing participants to the culture and practice of LIFEbeat’s approach to youth work and group process. Find out more here.
2.Mental Health and Wellbeing
LIFEbeat has been training teachers, PSHE & Inclusion leads, and school professionals to explore the curriculum of mental health and wellbeing and how it can link to a whole school approach. Find out more here.
Volunteer Opportunities
LIFEbeat builds intergenerational creative communities of adults, who share a collective vision to empower young people in their self expression and exploration of their inner lives.
We offer an opportunities for individuals to step up and inspire younger generations, but also explore their relationship with their creativity and the arts. We are committed to building diverse and inclusive communities, and therefore strive to make volunteer opportunities as accessible as possible. Please click here for more information about volunteering with LIFEbeat.
