Anyone working in arts and culture in Sefton, is being invited to online training sessions aimed at ensuring all young people in the borough can access artistic and cultural activities.

Three, free online sessions are part of Sefton Council’s work towards Poverty Proofing® life for local children and young people. This aims is to ensure all Sefton’s young people can engage in the boroughs’ cultural life, no matter what their household’s income.

The three online sessions, will take place on:

• Wednesday 9th September: 9am-10am.
• Thursday 10th September: 12pm-1pm.
• Thursday 17th September: 2pm-3pm.

They follow on from the Poverty Proofing® work already taking place in many ofSefton’s Schools and will look at the barriers some young people in Sefton face accessing arts and culture.

You can sign up for the training sessions here.

Created by Newcastle-based charity Children North East, Poverty Proofing® looks at the structural inequalities in systems and organisations that can affect those facing financial hardship. It does this by looking at experiences from the viewpoint of those affected by poverty.

Cllr Joanne Williams, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “By listening to the voices and experiences of the community, Poverty Proofing® helps organisations identify often unseen inequalities.

“They can then break down barriers that may prevent community members from accessing and engaging with them.”

Twenty-five Sefton schools have already taken part in Poverty Proofing the School Day®, which takes the same approach in educational settings. More of the borough’s schools will be starting the scheme soon, as well as a number of Sefton’s Early Years organisations.

You can sign up for the training sessions here.

Cllr Williams continued: “Those that have already taken part in the Poverty Proofing© training have really had their eyes opened to what they can do for children from households affected by poverty.

“I encourage anyone involved in artistic and cultural activities in Sefton, no matter in what way, to sign up for this training.

“It is your chance to make a real and lasting difference to these young people’s lives, by remove the barriers they face and maximise their prospects and future opportunities.”

Sign up for the training sessions here.

The same training session is repeated over the three days:

• Wednesday 9th September: 9am-10am.
• Thursday 10th September: 12pm-1pm.
• Thursday 17th September: 2pm-3pm.

Please only sign up to the date and time that suits them best.

You can watch the video about the effect this work is having in schools, here.