At Consequential Robotics, we are firm advocates that young people should be given the opportunity and resource to develop their creative thinking and skills. Their unique abilities may take them in the direction of coding and robotics or in other fields. Creative skills are invaluable in every industry and in everyday life and we all share a measure of responsibility for helping young people get started.
Having spent many years developing MiRo and the MiRoCLOUD platform to help younger people learn and enjoy creative coding and robotics; we have seen first-hand how supporting their creative abilities in all its forms can help young people reach their full potential along with protecting their wellbeing. However, when the pandemic hit, the cultural sector and the creative industries suffered more than most. It decimated the National Youth Theatre’s (NYT) income, and they were unable to host in-person fundraising events to raise vital funds required to support their work.
The winning bidder! NYT Trustee Simon Davies and NYT members. (Photo by Ellie Kurttz).
So, when we were asked to donate a MiRo robot for their Online Christmas Auction in November 2020, we jumped at the opportunity to contribute. It was a successful event, helping to raise a critical £48,000 that will go a long way towards supporting young people and creatives who are among those most adversely affected by the pandemic. The winning bidder of the MiRo robot was NYT Trustee Simon Davies who collected his new robot at the opening launch of the newly redeveloped National Creative Production House for Young People.
We would therefore like to thank NYT for allowing us to contribute to such a purposeful event and we encourage our community to read more about the benefits of the cultural sector and creative industries to young people from all backgrounds including how you can help.
Why is the cultural sector and the creative industry important for young people?
Its activities help develop vital skills, supports career development, increases confidence, and enhances wellbeing. NYT has been able to remain committed to providing onstage and backstage opportunities that are open and inclusive. Now, more than ever, the theatre has a responsibility to help build a highly skilled workforce for the cultural sector and the creative industries whilst providing employment pathways for young people.
COVID-19 has had a disproportionate effect on young people
It has exacerbated inequalities and reduced the life chances of an entire generation. It is estimated that 1.4 million young people in the UK are facing unemployment as a direct result of the pandemic. The arts and cultural industry have been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, and there are concerns that financial pressures on the creative industries will impact efforts to increase diversity and inclusion within the sector.
Free opportunities to young Britons
NYT has seen a significant rise in financial hardship due to the current crisis and a much greater need to provide free opportunities to young Britons. Since March 2020, they have delivered 2,000+ hours of interactive online activity, created 20,000+ opportunities and reached an online audience of 10+ million. NYT targets marginalised young people in areas across the UK with little or no access to the arts. They work with underrepresented young people from culturally diverse backgrounds, with learning disabilities, not in education, employment, or training and from LBGTQI+ communities.
Rehearsing Othello on Zoom: the theatre students pursuing their dream during a pandemic. Read this interview in the Evening Standard with NYT members Shakira and Tiajna who speak about their work with the NYT during lockdown.