Our Impact

- Confidence - Creativity - Connection -

Introduction

At Bounce, we don’t just count numbers - we celebrate moments of confidence, creativity and connection. We create spaces where children and young people feel seen, heard and valued. Through performance and participatory arts, we spark joy, self-expression and belonging in schools, communities and public spaces.

In Numbers: April 2024 – March 2025

1,700 children and young people participated
8 school residencies across South West London
1 community residency in Wandsworth
100% respondents agreed that their ideas had been listened to, and that they felt creative throughout the projects
47% of teachers saw greater emotional connection and sense of belonging in our Speech Bubbles SEND pilot
6 original performance pieces co-created with young people

Move your mouse cursor of the images below for an interactive view of the above stats:

Number of children and young people who participated

1,700

Number of
school
residencies

8 Number of community residencies

1 Number of participants who felt creative and listened to

100%

SEND: increased emotional connection observed by teachers

47%

Number of original performances

6 Stories of Change

Frances
Community Participant, Beyond the Plate

Frances joined the project during a challenging time in her life. She was dealing with poor physical and emotional health, and early on she shared feelings of isolation and anxiety. Through creative activities, she began to reflect on her cultural heritage - recalling memories of Tanzanian, Kenyan and Malaysian cooking from her childhood.

As trust grew, Frances contributed to our community book of food memories and explored ways to stay involved beyond the project. Despite barriers related to health and finances, she found new purpose by reconnecting with her creativity and her community.

Frances showed us the power of safe, inclusive spaces where people can contribute in meaningful ways, at their own pace.

Natalie

Artist and Facilitator

Natalie began as a volunteer and is now a core member of our team. Over the last 18 months, she has developed her artistic practice and facilitation skills, shaping the direction of our visual arts work.

In Beyond the Plate, she helped participants explore cultural memory through food. A simple story about making Christmas puddings sparked memories from across the globe - from Stir-Up Sunday in the UK to pavlovas in New Zealand. Together, the group created collaged recipes and shared stories that celebrated their heritage.

Natalie reminded us that true participation honours the lived experiences that people bring into the room.

Our Values in Action

We bring our values to life through every project. Here’s what they look like in practice:

Creativity

“My three children loved being active participants.

They helped shape the work with their own ideas.”

- Parent

We give children and young people ownership of the creative process, encouraging bold ideas and original thinking.

Originality

“Wonderland was great!

It was nice that we could move around instead of staying in one spot.”
- Parent

Our work doesn't follow a script. We design theatre that is playful, interactive and unexpected.

Community

“Speech Bubbles gave the children lasting confidence.

A year later, we still see the impact.”
- Headteacher

We build projects that create long-term connection and a sense of belonging:

in classrooms, homes and local communities.

Equity

“Thank you for making this experience truly inclusive.

Daniel came home and started drawing scenes for the set.”
- Parent

We work with young people of all abilities and backgrounds, making sure everyone feels included and valued.

Care

“He was struggling emotionally. Now he’s happy, settled,

and excited to share what he’s made.”
- Parent

Our spaces support wellbeing, giving young people a safe outlet to express themselves and connect.

Joy

“Bounce is fun, exciting and amazing.

I’ve made so many friends.”
- Participant

We believe in the power of joy. It’s not a by-product - it’s the point.

Innovation in Practice

We are developing a new, inclusive model for sensory-rich performance, co-created with:

Speech and language therapists
Sensory occupational therapists
Digital and visual artists
Neurodiverse children and young people with lived experience

We are documenting our learning and will publish our findings later this year.

Looking Ahead

With your support, we can:

Reach more schools and communities across London
Train artists in inclusive and participatory facilitation
Share our inclusive pedagogy through publications and workshops
Co-create new performance work led by young voices

Be Part of the Change

Partner with us. Fund a project. Share our story.

Together, we’re building a more creative, connected, and equitable world - one performance at a time.

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