My work with We Make Places involves teaching carpentry to NEAT young people. My passion is working with young people and enabling them to access as many relevant opportunities as possible.

I also work part-time as a youth worker and as we can’t keep the youth centre open during lockdown, the whole team and myself individually have been finding new ways to support the young people we are working with. This involves contacting the young people on a one-to-one basis, doing weekly deliveries with essentials and also some arts and creative ideas for them to get involved with.  I am also hosting an online youth club 4 times a week.

I’ve noticed some of the young people struggling a lot with the lockdown and the pressure it puts on them so my role has extended to fixing their bikes and taking them to the community allotment for time out.

In addition, I have worked with Liverpool Migrant Solidarity Network to set up an emergency fund for migrants without access to public funds please feel free to share and donate, https://www.gofundme.com/f/funds-for-migrants-without-access-to-public-funds.

Back in my immediate neighbourhood I’ve set up community Whatsapp groups so that myself and our neighbours can look out for each other.  I’m really involved in our local allotment and it’s a great resource to be able to offer food to people in need of it and also as a space to provide some respite away from the home without risk of not being socially distanced.

When all of that is not taking over my life I’m trying to focus on my creative work and I recently hosted an alternative Eurovision Song Contest… Song for Lockdown to raise funds for These Walls Must Fall and other migrant support groups. 

Michelle Wren is a key part of our Urban Workbench learning programme, supporting young people through this and identifying progression routes for them.  She is also a part-time youth worker and keeps her performing and visual arts background alive with many side creative projects.