Fusion delivers high-quality participatory arts in partnership with local communities. We aim to initiate inspiring and innovative arts projects that support social inclusion and prioritise those who otherwise would not access the arts. Fastforward was launched in October 2000, the only project in Oxfordshire delivering arts specifically in conjunction with homeless people, its mission being to promote the power of arts and their positive social, cultural and educational impact. It was a partnership with key housing and support organisations in the city, and our artists were Jane Stokes, Julie Bradshaw and Ann Rapstoff.

Fastforward set out to:

• provide a city-wide arts education project for young people aged 16-30 years who are homeless
• use the arts as a tool to support and enable young people to gain a wide range of self-development, creative, social and learning skills
• develop a new model of practice with regional significance
• enable people to understand their potential and to gain the confidence needed to take up formal learning opportunities
• produce high-quality artistic work to be exhibited across the city
• raise awareness of homelessness issues and provide a platform for homeless people to profile their talents
• promote the value of arts to partner organisations, service providers and the city
• help to ensure that the arts play a central role in future service development.

Fastforward offered a structured programme of arts activities and access to learning opportunities, through an accredited Open College Network Certificate in Creative Learning through the Visual Arts and Crafts. The programme does not require any specific level of literacy, numeracy, communication skills or arts experience. Rather, it provides a vital context for people who are homeless or vulnerably housed to express themselves through visual arts and crafts and raises awareness of homelessness issues. It is in effect, a partnership between homeless people, seven homelessness agencies, and education providers.

All employed project staff were practising artists. Additional freelance artists were included in the workshop programme, providing specialised skills in particular art forms in response to participants' need. Fastforward had a bank of ten volunteers, which ensured that groups were always run with one facilitator and a volunteer. Volunteers gained experience with assisting art workers with running workshops and developing arts related skills.

Despite its restricted resources, project staff successfully avoided a 'one-size-fits-all' solution to learning and personal development. Artists worked alongside participants and agencies, sharing their passion for the arts, exchanging ideas, and providing both encouragement and an experiential learning environment. All participants were given opportunities to experience a variety of art forms, including video, photography, mosaic making, drawing, painting and graffiti art. The choice of media was developed in negotiation with participants. Phases one and two of the project provided taster workshops in a variety of activities, enabling participants to explore different mediums and find their interest areas. Phase three of the project enabled participants to develop their portfolio, focusing on longer-term projects. The OCN qualification in phase three was encouraged, but not compulsory.

Social support was essential in ensuring access to as many participants as possible. Social support included language support, crèche facilities, transport and basic skills support. A total of 135 participants entered the project during its two years. Of that total, 84 participants attended regularly, the other 51 attended irregularly.

The project was initially targeted at people aged 16-30 years. However, owing to interest from a wider age range of participants, this was extended to become more inclusive. The numbers engaging with the project were pleasing and Fastforward has been committed to equal opportunities, but there are many more people in this hard-to-access group who have not had the opportunity to become involved. There is an obvious need to target black and ethnic minority homeless communities, with the main user group coming from the white community. Networking with appropriate agencies is necessary, including possible involvement of asylum seekers and refugees.

Sixteen participants undertook the project's OCN Certificate in Creative learning through the visual arts. Of these, fifteen gained certificates. This was under the target (30 participants) discussed when the course was planned. However, those taking the qualification gained higher levels of credit than our anticipated target.

Project aims included progression in vocational as well as in educational terms. Some participants went on to courses in further education, others to employment. During the two years, participants were involved in creating five exhibitions of their own artwork. Two participants developed volunteer skills based on their experience of attending Fastforward.

Crucially, Fastforward was instrumental in creating alternative pathways to training and opportunity for those attending the project. A considerable number of participants from the project went on to vocational, educational or employment tracks. Their routes included desktop publishing, office computing, business management, British Sign Language, ceramics, catering, art foundation and photography. Four participants were able to access employment following their participation in the project

The project's aim was not to teach art in the formal sense; it was to provide a social learning environment with a strong commitment to working alongside participants in their process of self-development. It follows therefore that the balance between supporting learning and providing support to learners was a delicate one. Finding and working with that balance was assisted by staff development through OCN training in assessment techniques, as well as by other forms of training.

For the participants, the principles of Fastforward meant they were able to:

• work in a group and negotiate arts-related questions
• learn new arts-based skills
• explore creative problem solving
• engage with ideas
• research projects and build a portfolio

How do we know how far we were succeeding? Success should not only be measured in relation to numbers who came through the project or successfully gained employment or an OCN certificate. Supporting self-development and social skills was an essential aim of the project.

The markers of increased self-development and confidence in social settings we noted included:

• consistent attendance and arranging independent transport to the project initiating ideas and choosing media to work in
• exploring avenues of educational opportunity, and saying 'yes' and 'no' more confidently when choices were offered
• working more consistently in groups, and increasing flow of communication with others in a group
• gaining the confidence and self-esteem to show artwork in a public space

It is important not to underestimate the commitment made by participants simply in attending workshops regularly, being part of a group and working individually on pieces of work. Project staff estimated, through verbal discussions and briefing by link workers, that around 30% of participants had reported having experienced mental health problems, including depression and schizophrenia. This made it a challenge for some participants even to leave their rooms, let alone to participate consistently and creatively in group activities.

One participant described living rough in London for many years, which had had an adverse impact on trusting others and on living in a structured environment. Some participants were facing past or ongoing dependence on drugs or alcohol. One participant had a particularly difficult battle with alcohol; nonetheless, he managed to produce a high standard of artwork, attended workshops consistently, and saw some of his work exhibited at the Fastforward 2 exhibition. Sadly, a few months later he died.

Fastforward was funded initially for two years, by, amongst others, ACE South East (Lottery), East Oxford Action (SRB), the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Tudor Trust. Fusion, for obvious reasons, would like to pick up the idea and continue it, and the outside observer might think that it had been successful enough to be supported. However, our attempts to secure further funding have so far been unsuccessful, leaving a gap in a project that was proving highly beneficial to the participants. Funding opportunities for continuing established projects are particularly difficult, constantly challenging providers to re-invent a proven formula. In the end, it seems as if, no matter what the success of the project, most funders are more interested in new ideas than sustainability.

'I am much more confident about showing my artwork and feel I have improved especially with the silk paintings. I really enjoyed the variety of the course.' 'It opened up…. existing needs to play with materials. Packed and kept together… we had many discussions.'