Redcar
Blank Canvas is based in Redcar: a proud, close-knit town situated on the North East Coast of England. Boasting a rich history of steelworks, fishing, and industry. Today, Redcar is a much-loved seaside resort and town, home to over 35,000 people including the brilliant young people Blank Canvas seeks to serve.
KEY CHALLENGES
Young people living in Redcar face a number of challenges. A report produced for elected council members in 2021 highlighted how Redcar and Cleveland fares on quality of life indicators such as child poverty, secondary school performance, new business start ups and youth unemployment.
The North East has the second highest rate of child poverty in the UK, with 39% of under-16s in Redcar living in poverty.
Only 30% of secondary schools in the area were rated as at least ‘good’ in 2019, marking a continuing decline since a high of 75% in 2016.
Redcar has the fifth highest unemployment rate in the UK, and young people in the area are particularly vulnerable to unemployment.
As Blank Canvas, we are committed to changing the story for young people in Redcar, to allow young people to achieve their potential. Statistics like the above inform our work but are never the end of the story.
