What is Shake's 'Continuity Programme'?

So, the unique thing about Shake! is that each course is followed by a programme of support, training and serious opportunities for young Shakers. We call this the Continuity Programme. The artists, Platform and Shakers are always on the look out and share information.  This leads to a lot of activity... And more and more, Shake! is also on the wanted list for lots of initiatives, generating more opportunities than we can take up.

Here are the some of the major things that happened in 2010/11:

Thinking through our Mission Statement

Mentoring, Training and Networking

- 3 separate trainings with the young people on Fundraising, Communications, and Social media, held in Platform and facilitated by Shake's artists and Platform.

- Creating a Mission Statement together - what's it for, why it's needed, how to get it right.

- the artists and Platform acting as mentors through formal meetings at Platform, and one-to-one contact by email or phone.

- Regular general communications sustained through email, blog, FB, Twitter and newsletters.

- Shakers are self-accessing blog, drafting and publishing the newsletter

Opportunities and Career Development

For our first year out, there were also masses of opportunities for Shake! participants, learning and working alongside Shake's artists and Platform:

- 2 young people were subsidised by a Platform bursary to participate in a course "Women, Creativity and Dissidence" run by writer Nawal El-Saadawi at Goldsmiths, Nov 2010, organised by African Writers Abroad. 

- 3 young people were ambassadors for Shake! and Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust's launch night "Switch On", 17.2.11, meeting and talking with over 100 people about Shake!

- 3 young people from Shake! were videographers on "Afro 1" at BFI and "Afro Too", both Railroad 7 showcases celebrating a Black Cultural Leadership (BLC) programme, held at the BFI in March and RSA on 30.3.11, supported by Shake! artist and BLC award winner DJ Eric Soul.

- 1 young woman performed with Apples & Snakes for the first time (July 2011).

- 2 young people performed at the UpRise Anti-Racist Festival fundraiser "UpRise Live" at Proud Galleries, Camden, 31.5.11, supported by 2 Shake artists

- 1 young man, training to be an architect, has taken up volunteering at Stephen Lawrence Centre and will be speaking at a major event there in the Autumn

- 2 young women took part in weekend creative workshops for women called "Travelling Light" 24 & 30.7.11 a project by Shake! artist Zena Edwards 

There's more coming all the time.