Islington Labour is committed to making Islington the best possible place for all our young people to grow up. As part of that commitment, on Friday 15th March, Islington Labour Councillors were joined by Jeremy Corbyn MP and over 200 teachers, local governors and leaders from cultural organisations, to launch 11 by 11, delivering on another key Islington Labour manifesto pledge.
The pioneering 11 by 11 programme, a direct result of recommendations from the Islington Fair Futures Commission which called for more cultural enrichment to support the development of children and young people in the borough, will see all of Islington’s young people benefit from at least 11 outstanding cultural experiences by year 11, as part of a partnership led by Labour-run Islington Council.
As part of the launch, children from local schools gave inspiring cultural performances, from Sambalistic to Shakespeare’s Macbeth, for teachers and leaders from across cultural and creative industries – highlighting the importance cultural enrichment has in every child’s development.
Speaking at the launch, Cllr Kaya Comer Schwartz, Executive Member for children, young people and families said:
“Islington is a thriving borough, with a wealth of cultural and creative opportunities on our doorstep, but we know some of our children are missing out.
“This initiative will change children and young people’s lives, and remove the barriers some might face, to make sure that every child in the borough has access to these outstanding experiences, regardless of their background.
“The fantastic performances from Islington school pupils at the 11 by 11 launch show how important cultural and creative experiences are in helping our children and young people develop essential life skills like creative thinking, communication, self-confidence and team working.
“I’m proud that over 40 organisations, from the National Youth Theatre to the London Sinfonietta, have already signed up to work with us and our Islington Community of Schools, to deliver world class cultural experiences for all children and young people in the borough”
Find out more about the 11 by 11 initiative, including how to get involved, here.