Our Final Year
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After 8 years together, we made the difficult decision to close Colours Youth Network. It’s was a tough call to make, but at the same time, it really felt like the right decision for our organisation, 2024 was our final legacy year.
Committing to a final legacy year was a chance for us to do justice to our organisation, as well as to all the young people and youth workers who have made our work possible. We slowed down and invested time in reflecting on and celebrating our work; wrapping up and winding down at a pace that felt right and honoured all the relationships we'd built with young people, youth workers and the sector.
We are so grateful to the authors of Stewarding Loss, for their work on this brilliant resource that supports organisations to end thoughtfully and intentionally - this resource was an invaluable support in shaping our closing.
Over the course of our Legacy Year, we agreed to focus our work in 5 key areas:
- Connecting
We will bring together LGBTQ POC youth and youth workers at events across the year. We will build a LGBTQ POC youth presence at select pride events this summer and hold our final Youth Worker Gathering, which will focus on well-being. We will create a digital space for youth workers to keep connecting and building together after 2024.
- Documenting
We will take time to reflect on and archive our 8 year history; to really celebrate and extensively document the work we’ve built with youth and youth workers across the UK and highlight stories from those who’ve been a part of our epic journey. - Resourcing
Our communities hold such knowledge and experience in youth work with LGBTQ POC communities. We will compile and create free downloadable resources for youth workers, including those wanting to continue developing work in this area, right through to those at the start of their youth work journeys. - Platforming
We will offer platforms across the year to LGBTQ POC youth so they can share their work, their passions, their creativity and activism with new audiences. - Resting and having fun!
We aim to take this year at a comfortable pace, avoiding pressures to do and reach the most. We’ll be taking care of our team’s well-being as our priority and doing work that brings joy. We want to end the year with pride, feeling rested and with energy for whatever comes next!
We want to thank you, everyone who has followed, supported, attended and encouraged our work for LGBTQ POC youth and youth workers over the years. We've had a blast!
To all the young people who have been a part of our journey, we have loved meeting you, working with you and supporting you for the last 8 years! We’ve been inspired and energised by all of you, from your politics to your creativity, to your desire to do more for other young people and build your own movements and spaces.
You’ve come to our events with courage and openness and filled our spaces with love. We’ve witnessed so many of your personal journeys and growth and are so honoured to be a part of them, we are excited for you and your journeys ahead.
Closing Colours Youth Network has been a tough decision for our team, however, we hold sadness about this end alongside excitement and hope. Each of you have the power to make change happen - this work is proof of that. We believe in all of you, you are already a part of an incredible LGBTQ POC youth community, keep creating and keep going!
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You’ve come to our events with courage and openness and filled our spaces with love. We’ve witnessed so many of your personal journeys and growth and are so honoured to be a part of them, we are excited for you and your journeys ahead.
Closing Colours Youth Network has been a tough decision for our team, however, we hold sadness about this end alongside excitement and hope. Each of you have the power to make change happen - this work is proof of that. We believe in all of you, you are already a part of an incredible LGBTQ POC youth community, keep creating and keep going!
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