Urban Circle Newport is a forward-thinking creative youth development charity helping to build, promote and sustain constructive community relationships and individual involvement using a variety of creative platforms. We provide creative opportunities for young people to actively and purposefully pursue their interests, improve their wellbeing and realise their potential across the creative arts, education, youth work and community development. As one of the few organisations representing young Black and Asian people in Newport, we see it as our responsibility to facilitate the process of speaking out and challenging injustice. Our core offer centres on:

• Creative youth engagement - by which we mean creative arts, youth work and life support

• Cultural education and advocacy - including education events, courses and activities focusing on race relations, disability awareness and activism

• Events and public engagement - incorporating festivals, gigs, digital events and social media.

OUR VISION

Our vision is of a world where young people in Newport have access to safe spaces supportive adults who they can relate to and relevant opportunities and tools to harness their skills, drive and ambition. In this world, postcode, race and physical make-up are no longer a barrier. As a result, young people are no longer seen as a product of their environment and the circumstances into which they are born, but rather are valued for their own unique human potential and empowered to follow their chosen path in life. Within this new context, the importance and impact of youth work in building strong and healthy communities is valued and understood.

OUR MISSION

To achieve this vision, we pursue our mission to:

● Grow young people’s confidence and independence through creative arts, cultural education and advocacy opportunities

● Actively break down barriers to participation to ensure all young people have access to the same opportunities

● Provide a safe space, free of judgement and with an open door, to any young person that needs it, for as long as they need it: there is no “expiry date”

● Enable every young creative to contribute to the world in a way that is meaningful to them.

These are the things every one of us would have wanted and needed when we were growing up. We exist to make sure young people have this support today.