Fab Pad

Susan AktemelDirector

Who is Impact Arts?

Independent community arts organisation

Established 1994

23 full-time, up to 60 part time artists

Two companies - trading and charitable

Working across Scotland

Our Aims

• To use the arts to make a positive and

lasting change to people’s lives

• To combine social responsibility with

sound and ethical business practice

Helping young tenants make their house a home

Fab Pad – what is it?

Tenancy stabilisation

Improve employability and access to

opportunity

Personal development through

creativity

An interior design project for homeless or vulnerable young people (16-35 years) which enables:

Most of our Fab Pad participants have been

homeless for a substantial length of time, repeatedly

homeless or at risk of losing their home

Levels of Involvemnt

• Fab Pad Starter Book

• Taster Courses

• Main Individual / group programme

• Delivery tailored to individual / project need

How does it work?

• Initial meeting with young person (and key worker)

• Home visits with Interior designer & Fab Pad co-ordinator

• Development of action plan related to flat and design ideas

• Start Workshop programme

What do we do?

• Develop room design plans• Use of colour• Paint effects

• Wall preparation, papering, painting, tiling

• Creating soft furnishings

• Mosaic and ceramic painting

• Creating accessories

• Use of lighting

• Furniture renovation and transformation

What Happens Next?

• Allocation of shopping budget (currently £100 per person)

• Development of personal action plan (employment and training related)

• Ongoing home visits from interior designer and workshop participation

• Progression on to employment, training, further education or other opportunities

Does it work?

In 2004/5 we worked with 190 clients acrossGlasgow and central Scotland.

Approx 85% sustained their tenancy forat least 6 months after engaging with FabPad

About 56% progressed on to education,training, volunteering or jobopportunities

Also…

• Stability in home life and pride in home

• Renewed family contact

• Improved self esteem and aspiration

• Making new friends and reduced isolation

• Improved literacy & numeracy

• Sense of achievement

• Money management

• Improved concentration

• Keeping appointments and maintaining contact

What the participants say:

“It’s shown me a talent I never knew I had.”

“It’s got me thinking about what I want to do – I’m looking at New Deal, and art training courses at college.”

“It’s opened a new world for me – I’ve now

started an art class at the unemployed resource

centre.”

“It came at a really good time for me and I have told

a lot of my pals at Phoenix who are getting ready to

get a flat.”

What our partners say:

“Working with Impact Arts we recognized thatpersonal development was a key issue for young people atrisk of tenancy breakdown and that Fab Pad couldhelp them reshape their lives.

North Ayrshire Fab Pad is delivering savings on voidmanagement to local landlords and the participants arelearning new skills, developing confidence and taking upnew opportunities. We are delighted.”

Hugh Mc Ghee, Cunninghame Housing Association.

Current Projects

• Glasgow : North, Gorbals, Drumchapel, Greater Pollok, East End, Govan

• East Dunbartonshire – Kirkintilloch

• Stirling

• North Ayrshire

• West Dunbartonshire - Balloch

Planned and developing projects

• Glasgow – Castlemilk and Maryhill

• Edinburgh

• Dundee

• South Ayrshire

• North Lanarkshire

• Aberdeen

• Borders

A creative solution to the problem of youth homelessness.

contact: Fiona Doring – 0141 575 3004