Big smiles as NWRC Partners with Happy Stage to Empower Young People

North West Regional College (NWRC) has teamed up with the Millennium Forum as the new principal partner of the hugely successful ‘Happy Stage’ project.

Happy Stage enables local young people to explore topics around mental health through the arts. The ‘Happy Stage - Your Forum, Your Stage’ project, with New Principal Partner NWRC, invites all those aged between 12 and 18 with an interest in performance (acting, singing and dance) to participate in this yearlong project

Gillian Moss, Head of Client Services at NWRC said: “As a long-standing provider of Music and Performing Arts Courses in the region, North West Regional College is proud to partner with the Millennium Forum through the Happy Stage project.

“The Happy Stage initiative aligns with the college’s widening access and participation strategy which is designed to give local learners access to our course opportunities, services and facilities.

“We look forward to the year ahead watching these young people thrive in this safe and inclusive environment.”

Participants will work alongside key health professionals and professional arts facilitators to produce a piece that will be showcased in various venues within the local community. Already, several key professionals have been confirmed to take part including Gary Rutherford (ARC Fitness), Brenda Shankey (Mindfulness Coach), Ciara Mc Callion (acting facilitation) and Claire Harkin (Dance Facilitator). Others will be announced shortly.

Speaking on the new partnership, Cara Mc Cartney, Development and Creative Engagement Manager at the Millennium Forum, said:

“We are thrilled to launch Happy Stage - Your Forum Your Stage, piloted last year with generous funding from ACNI and which has flourished with the support of our Principal Partner, NWRC. One in six children experience mental health challenges before leaving school (ref The Children’s Society), making it a pressing concern for our community. The Millennium Forum and its Youth Forum have taken a proactive approach by involving young people in shaping the project's direction. By giving them a voice in identifying the key issues that impact their lives, this project ensures that it directly addresses their needs, while our partnership with the NWRC enhances the performance opportunities for the Young People involved and will help build confidence and promote positive self-expression.”

She continued:

“This exciting new project is a collaborative effort led by the Millennium Forum team and its Youth Forum. As it will be facilitated by arts professionals and health professionals it promises to be an exciting journey towards empowerment and wellbeing for young people aged 12 to 18. It adds to a host of free opportunities offered by the Millennium Forum for young people that encourage them to get involved in arts and performance. As a registered charity we are delighted to be able to provide this opportunity in keeping with our commitment to make a positive difference to the lives of young people in our region.”

Happy Stage - Your Forum Your Stage is a yearlong, all-inclusive youth drama project aimed at young people between the ages of 12 to 18. The project is designed to harness the creative potential of drama, dance, song and peer learning to explore and address the vital issue of young people's mental health.

The heart of the project lies in the creation of a unique drama and music performance that will not only be a therapeutic outlet for the participants but also serve as a powerful tool for raising awareness and helping others facing similar challenges.

The Millennium Forum is now inviting young people aged 12 to 18 to participate in this transformative journey. If you or someone you know is interested in exploring positive mental health through performance, gaining self-confidence, building new friendships and collaborating with arts and health professionals, then ‘Happy Stage - Your Forum Your Stage’ is the perfect project to get involved with. The Forum is particularly keen to welcome those young people who have never been involved in performing arts previously as this will be a unique opportunity for them to learn new skills from the outset.

This exceptional project is entirely FREE for participants and it will take place in convenient 8-week blocks. The first block is set to commence on Wed 2^nd October. Weekly workshops then run on Wednesdays (6pm-8pm) and Saturdays (12noon-3pm) each week at the Millennium Forum and various other locations to be announced. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

This project is kindly supported by: North West Regional College, Ulster Garden Villages, A&B NI, , Find Insurance, The Sandwich Co and Alchemy Technology Services.

For more information, or to secure your place, email Magsc@millenniumforum.co.uk or tel 02871272776 or register online here https://forms.gle/4dJB5kirxoJCqk9TA