From isolation to opportunity
Creative employability programme ‘Shine’ found to build confidence and connections amongst young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) .
Arts and creativity not only brings people people together but the creative industries can offer a variety of career paths
The Bristol Beacon-led ‘Shine’ programme, delivered in spring 2026 as part of the wider Impact Alliance All Together Now initiative, was designed to support young adults aged 18 to 21 to build confidence, connections and career aspirations through creativity and culture. The programme combined a two-week creative employability course with tailored work-placement opportunities, creating space for young people to connect with others while developing practical skills for work.
Now, an independent evaluation (1) has shown that Shine delivered significant benefits for participants, many of whom faced barriers including social anxiety, long-term health conditions and limited engagement with education or employment.
communication, conversations and mutual care
Themes emerging from the evaluation included:
Enhanced communication and social interaction: Staff observed significant changes in how young people interacted, initiated conversations, and supported one another.
“They were making sure they waited for them to finish… basically saying, come and join us.”
“Speaking to each other and like holding conversation during breaks… that was quite a big change.”
Emergence of peer support and belonging: A strong theme was the development of group cohesion, friendship, and mutual care.
“They weren’t friends before… but all of a sudden they’re like laughing… evidence of like bonds forming.”
“One young person… was just so considerate of everybody else, like was getting people chairs, had asked if they’d eaten.”
The report highlights how Shine's trauma-informed approach created a safe and welcoming environment where young people felt comfortable stepping outside their comfort zones.
Participants reported feeling more confident speaking with others, sharing ideas and engaging in group activities.
One young person reflected that they had learned, "how naturally it felt to interact with everyone", while others described becoming more confident talking to new people and pursuing opportunities they may previously have avoided.
These outcomes align closely with the goals of All Together Now, which targets communities known to be at greater risk of loneliness, including young people who are NEET; research highlights a strong association between loneliness and poorer employment outcomes (2, 3), making Shine's combination of social connection and employability support particularly relevant.
Next steps
Alongside increased confidence and connection, participants developed employability skills, improved their CV writing and interview techniques, and gained greater awareness of careers within the creative industries. Several participants left the programme considering new pathways in areas such as event production, live sound, music production and game development.
While the evaluation identified challenges in arranging some work placements, researchers concluded that Shine's creative and relationship-based model delivers meaningful change. The report suggests the programme has strong potential to grow as an innovative response to both youth loneliness and barriers to employment.
As communities across the region look for new ways to support young people facing isolation, Shine demonstrates how creativity, connection and meaningful opportunities can help build confidence, belonging and brighter futures.
1. Report undertaken by SBA Consulting and Holly Taylor-Dunn Consulting
3. The suprising truth about the generations that experience the most loneliness
Celebrating the launch of All Together Now. Back row from left: Catherine Robinson, St Monica Trust; Anne Cooke, Impact Alliance; Adam Kent, Bristol Beacon; Deanna Berry, Sirona Health & Care; David Clymo, The Grateful Society. Front row: musicians leading from Bristol Beacon’s ‘Our Music Club’.
About All Together Now
All Together Now is a multi-year programme across the West of England that uses arts, culture and creativity to reduce loneliness and strengthen social connection and belonging.
The programme is being led by the St Monica Trust, and delivered by a consortium of local partners led by Bristol Beacon. Bristol Beacon is working alongside local organisations to help connect residents with creative activities and remove barriers to participation.
The first-of-its-kind programme will run until July 2028 in six communities identified as having a higher risk of loneliness. This includes four geographic communities covering both urban and rural areas – Stockwood, Charfield, Somer Valley and the Mendip Villages – as well as older people from Global Majority backgrounds and disabled young people.
Critically, the programme will also support skills development in the region and provide employment to local artists, musicians and creatives.
All Together Now is supported thanks to partnership brought about by the Impact Alliance and with funding from St Monica Trust, Arts Council England, The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, Bristol Beacon, the Grateful Society, and Sirona Care & Health.