Body Politic is a pioneering female-led charitable organisation that uses hip hop dance and arts to empower individuals and communities. Based in Oxford, we aim to inspire positive social change, challenge inequality, and provide a creative platform for those often marginalised in society.
Donate to this charity
Supporters
2Fundraisers
0
Reducing barriers
In the last 12 months, Body Politic’s outreach programme has engaged over 1500 young people aged 5-25yrs and delivered over 800hrs of dance provision in Oxford.
During 2024 we offered 263 young people aged 5-16yrs fully funded spaces across our range of activities.
The Access Fund
Body Politic believes that every young person has the right to experience creative activity, but understands that for some groups there are significant barriers to accessing provision. These can be in the form of socio-economic status, ethnicity, geographical location or mental health. We are determined to ensure that all young people who want to take part in our classes and workshops are able to do so and we do not turn anyone away. To combat financial barriers, we have an Access Fund so that we can offer free and subsidised places to those who need them. These places support children and young people in receipt of free school meals, families from low-income households in priority areas and those referred to us by school partnerships or social services. Many of these young people have complex home lives and/or significantly low confidence and self-esteem.
To ensure that we have sufficient resources to fund our access provision each year, we aim to set aside £6,500 allowing for 15 free and 5 subsidised places each term, 10 subsidised places on our summer camps (Oxfordshire County Council fund the free camp places) and some contingency for access to other projects and to meet additional demand.
Our Access Fund ensures that we can provide free and subsidised spaces and programmes for young people in the city.
We want to continue to provide opportunities for young people in the city to experience dance and culture, but we need your help.
“Having the chance to learn dance has provided her with a new way to express herself. She has been struggling with her mental health for such a long time and this has broken the cycle for her” - Parent
"But it's more than just dance. There’s a sense of feeling valued, of making friends, of meeting new people and being offered different activities. And opening up new opportunities. The older girls she’s met, going into college to do dancing, they’ve shared experiences with her, planning A Levels or joining uni. That is good for any teenager, you know, wondering what to do next with their life". - Carer of Participant