DORSET’S thriving digital and creative community is being urged to get involved with a project that helps young people fulfil their potential.

AIMCommunity is a charitable organisation involved in the arts, education and mentoring.

It works in all creative fields, including music, art, film-making, technology, animation and digital media.

It is holding an open event today called In The Making and hopes to attract more support from those already working in the arts and digital.

AIMCommunity works with around 600 students a week including visits to schools, but helps 40-50 young people more intensively.

Project leader Richard Newland said: “Our main focus is those who are struggling to stay in school or stay connected with school in some way.”

Its daytime courses focus on those who are at risk of not getting qualifications for a variety of reasons including difficult home lives.

“They’re either out of school for some reason or their school has placed them with us on a shorter or longer term placement,” said Mr Newland.

AIMCommunity works with school age students and with NEETS (youngsters post-16 who are “not in education, employment or training”).

For today’s event – from 3.30-7.30pm at AIMCommunity’s base at East Howe Youth Centre – students have been putting together portfolios to show what they have bene learning.

“The key is they can show what they’re working on and demonstrate the skills they’re trying to learn – and the other side of it is to get people in those industries to come and see the skills they’re learning and offer some of their expertise back to them with mentoring,” added Mr Newland.

His hope is that companies and individuals might want to support the project by visiting, even if for only an hour. They could share tips and show that a passion can become a career.

“It’s just giving young people that confidence to have a go at it,” said Mr Newland.

“It would be great for them to hear that there are people who’ve done that – to hear from them and see a route forward,” he said.

Today’s In the Making event is open to all, but it is helpful if people register by searching for In the Making at Eventbrite.co.uk

AIMCommunity is also keen to hear from anyone who cannot come to the event but wants to support it.