Life, Strife or Knife? - Citizenship

Exclusively for 11 to 14s, this workshop builds on our Heritage Lottery-funded work on identity and cultural awareness. It helps students explore their own identity - and how they really feel about their life - using, in this example, gangs and knife culture. By encouraging them to understand what's really going on within themselves and those around them, we help them redefine their identity and appreciate how much they can achieve.

It works because it gets participants to reach their own conclusions and express themselves through movement, mini-dramas, music, games and team-building, rather than primarily through language. Participants learn to reject peer pressure to keep themselves and those around them safe. They reach a deeper understanding of right and wrong and the real meaning of "respect".

Who Am I? - Cultural Awareness

This is a fantastically successful workshop that helps teenagers and adults discover their own identity and how they really feel about the world around them. What matters to them? What do they love and hate? And why?

It's successful because, although it starts with words (spider-maps based on the people, things and feelings in their lives), it gets participants to express themselves through movement, actions, games and team-building.

Feelings are related to movement and actions and are connected through games and mini-dramas, so they understand themselves better and express their feelings and thoughts, discovering that far from being alone, most of the group share many of their feelings, hopes and fears.

What is Britain to Me? - Displacement

This tailor-made workshop is exclusively for new arrivals, and builds on our Heritage Lottery-funded work on cultural awareness and displacement. It helps children, teenagers and adults discover their own identity and how they really feel about Britain. What were their expectations? What have they experienced? How do they feel about life here? And what do they want to achieve for themselves?

It's successful because it gets participants to express themselves through movement, actions, games and team-building - rather than through language (only a working-knowledge of English is necessary). By encouraging participants to understand what Britain stands for, we help them redefine their identity here and to appreciate how much they can achieve and contribute with a positive attitude.

As always with U-CandU, in just a few hours we turn abstracts into realities, feelings into actions, and achieve significant and lasting positive changes.

The Arts Award

This is a national qualification recognising young people's development as artists, arts practitioners and arts leaders. Arts Awards can be achieved at levels 1, 2 and 3 on the national qualifications framework.

The Dance Leadership Award

Another nationally recognised qualification delivered within the guidelines of and examined by the Sports Leaders Award.

It is open to young dance enthusiasts who want to develop vital life skills such as: planning, organising oneself and others, teamwork, communication and motivation. Many young people who achieve this award go on to support their local community, local youth clubs or dance centres.

Cultural Awareness for Leaders

To help teachers, social workers and everybody else improve the way they work and interact with young people newly-arrived in the UK including refugees and asylum-seekers.

It helps bridge cultural gaps and create positive understanding between people of different nationalities, religions and social backgrounds

Positive Cultural Awareness

A series of sessions and outings for newly-arrived young people, including asylum seekers and refugees that address issues of separation, loss, uprooting, trauma and grief as well as positively bridging cultural gaps.

Early Morning Energiser

"Since you started the early morning dance lessons with Year 6, I have seen enormous improvement in their school attendance, discipline and overall attitude"
Primary School Head Teacher

There is nothing better than some gentle exercise to wake children up in the morning and motivate them for the day ahead. To help them start their school day with a positive frame of mind we use:

• Relaxation (yoga)
• Mild rhythmic co-ordination
• Dance and aerobic combination
• Stretching

Carnival of Animals

A multi-art form project enabling children to learn about and explore the world of animals and their habitats in a fun and creative way, concluding with a performance.

Children are introduced to different art forms using a script, music, painting (costumes/masks) and dance.

There & Then, Here & Now

Originally a Heritage Lottery funded project, this award winning one week course brings a whole range of subjects and experiences together: history, citizenship, culture, the arts and much more.

It explores the experiences of World War II evacuees in order to better understand displacement today - and encourages a broader understanding between generations and different social groups - using visual arts, drama, dance and music sessions plus DVDs, personal testimony and visits.

We also provide a teaching resource booklet with historical facts and exercises, photographs of previous projects' artwork and details on further reading and resources