WOT a fantastic idea ...... Somewhereto_

When I was a little girl I was fanatical about Gymnastics and Trampolining  I loved them, I suppose you would say they were some one of the things I loved. I was lucky enough to be able to participate in the things I loved doing, unlike so many of the young people in society today. But there is a new initiative, which I have just become a Regional Coordinator for.

somewhereto_ is, in my mind such a simple concept and at the same time a inspirational idea. Unlocking spaces for young people to do whatever they love for free, yes FREE!

somewhereto_ is a nationwide initiative to work with young people and space holders to unlock and match activities and projects together. Funded by the Legacy Trust and National Lottery, the project is supported by Channel 4 Education. It aims to support young people across the UK to unlock and use space to ignite their passions and creative flair.

I have been having a fantastic time since August when I started in my new role, and let me just say WOT a blast it has been! Over the last 3 months we have supported over 60 young people access space to have Somewhereto_ perform, sing, debate, hold a one year to go to the Paralympics event, promote my artwork, write in a newspaper, hold a gaming tournament and even hold a spooky sleepover in the Central Library.

Unlocking space has been great, and the range of spaces young people want and need can vary, from empty space to meeting rooms, car parks to cinema screens, shop windows to online space.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhBJrq1mhxU

           WOT SPACES have been unlocked you may ask yourself, well we have a great variety on the website, 

           which is quick and easy to use http://www.somewhereto.com/regions/east-midlands

WOT fantastic examples of talented and creative young people there are already over the Internet. A couple of weeks ago saw young people takeover Number 10 Downing Street, yes the most famous door in Britain and just take a look at what they were able to do. . 

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhBJrq1mhxU

In the East Midlands we have already seen Hollie and her somewhereto_ hold a 1 year to go to the Paralympics event, where she was able to bring together families, young people and Paralympian Kenny Churchill to raise awareness and understanding of the Paralympics.

Martin Luke Brown wanted somewhereto_ perform on a main stage. He was matched to a space on the main stage at Oxjam Leicester last wekend and performed at additional venues throughout the event

Belinda wanted somewhereto_ to hold an event to bring young people together to learn about different cultures. She was matched to Phoenix Square and was able to hold a "Speed Cultures" event.

That's just to mention a few. somewhereto_ projects in the pipeline include faith buildings, the Town Hall, an Animation Festival, and a Next Wave music platform for young people on the 1st Saturday of every month.

If you have a space that could be used by young people to do the things they love, or if you’re a young person needing a space to make your passion a reality then get in touch! My details are at the bottom of the post.

That's all for now, but before i go just check this out. . . somehwereto_ have a spooky sleepover. . . Will Hough arranged for Leicester Children's Council to spend the night at the Central Library Leicester on October 29th and this is what they got up to. . . 

          Check out more images at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/citizenseye/sets/72157627421749542/

          I'm still tired!

Tina

          Mobile 07521289520   Email: tina@wotboxcons.co.uk or tina@somewhereto.com   Twitter: @tinawotbox 

WOT a Voice our young people have

Over the last few months the work that Leicester’s children & young people have been involved in has again made me realise why I am so passionate about the work I do.

The long awaited workforce scenarios have finally been produced and professionals came together to see them for the first time at Phoenix Square. It would only be right to say that they were very impressed by the quality and potential they have to support the development of the Children’s Workforce.

There was also a special screening where all the young people and their parents attended. For me this was the most emotional, not only for the young people involved but also for some of the young people who actually shared their personal stories and then saw them come to life.

Professionals screening the new Workforce scenarios for the first time

Gill Stacey the Strategic Lead for the Children’s Workforce attended and presented young people with certificates and vouchers for their involvement. What a truly brilliant representation of true meaningful participation.

Young people at WAVE Club

We have started WAVE Club at Phoenix Square for young people wanting to get involved in the newspaper. The sessions run from 11-1pm every Saturday. The club started on 19^th February and we already have between 20-30 young people every week. The young people have already taken part in Photography workshops, debating, article writing, drugs awareness sessions and they have also took control of 5 of the planters outside the Phoenix for their very own Green Fingers project in partnership with Blaby Rotary Club.

The club is a great success and a truly fantastic way of young people getting involved in WAVE Newspaper.

Phoenix Green Fingers at WAVE Club

with Blaby Rotary Club

I have recently been supporting young people in partnership with The Mighty Creatives to visit museums & libraries including the British Library in London. They had a fantastic time and I am sure they will agree they absolutely loved visiting Milton Keynes museum where they were able to touch and experience everything. Why not click on the link and find out what they thought about their visit to Canons Ashby a National Trust manor house in Northamptonshire.

Young people visiting Canons Ashby 

Watch an advert made by the young people: 

http://www.youtube.com/user/MightyCreativesFilm#p/a/u/0/QkNL2wluHwY

The Children’s Council has been very busy; Wot Box session’s are going well with articles coming in from all over the city and appearing in local community magazines and also WAVE newspaper.

Mentors are running regular sessions for young reporters across different libraries and school venues including Hamilton & Evington Library, Caldecote Junior School, Forest Lodge school to name a few.

The Children’s Council decided to hold their own protest earlier this month. They were unsure about the future of their work after 31^st March and decided to produce their own banners and posters and take to the Town Hall to have their voice heard. It was truly amazing to see them in action; they are a true voice for the young people of this city. The work they have achieved over the last 2 years has been inspirational to witness.

           United young people from Leicester Children's Council

Whilst we are on the subject of young people having a voice, I am currently working with a group of young service users from Family Action who are working on a project around services for boys. They have been busy learning how to become young reporters and have been planning interviews with 10 professionals from on the ground workers to commissioners. They are looking forward to gathering all their findings and working with staff and managers to help shape future service delivery. Another true example of young people experiencing participation at its best.

 Service users from Family Action with their WOT BOX

I should actually finish off this Blog by saying that for everyone who reads WAVE newspaper the next edition is out on the 30^th March and is full of fantastic articles produced by the cities greatest natural resource, its children and young people. Especially catch up with Mu-hamid Pathan and his plan to run for Elected Mayor and share the whole journey with the young people of the city.

Mu-hamid Pathan with the young people at WAVE Club

Get in touch if you would like to find out more about anything you have read by contacting me at:

tina@wotboxcons.co.uk

0116-2422940

07521289520

Wot will the New Year bring

With the festive season behind us and everyone getting back into the swing of work,( I hope, with new enthusiasm and energy), the city’s young people have a new and exciting year ahead of them with lots of events, workshops and activities planned. 2011 is definitely set to be the year of Positive Participation. Opportunities will see young people gearing up for their involvement in the 2nd Community Media Week during June’s National Volunteer Week and a Young Peoples conference taking place on Saturday 4th June. The planning and preparation events in the build up to the 2012 Olympics will move up a gear and another year for the development of the next 12 editions of WAVE. 

The close of 2010 saw the Leicester WAVE Newspaper Awards take place in the Central Lending Library, with over 120 people attending. The night was dedicated to each and every young person who had contributed to the newspaper (some 380 young people aged 4-25), with awards and special experiences presented to nominated award winning young reporters. 

Hoor Pathan  & Hollie Sturgess (Deputy Editor of WAVE) were presented with award’s for the Longest Personal Journey’s and received the experience of a flying lesson each donated by Blaby Rotary Club.

Hoor said “I am so excited about having a flying lesson, I will be so scared but writing about will be great. I can’t believe I won a trophy its brilliant I love WAVE!”

I can’t quote what Hollie said as it was along the lines of a threat to me afterwards!!!! (But I am sure after completing the corporate relay at the Leicester Marathon and finishing her two section’s rather than one on crouches, a flying lesson will be a breeze for Hollie!)

Leicester Wave Awards Celebration

Representatives from Leicester City Council, Leicester Libraries, Voluntary Action LeicesterShire, Members of the Cabinet, Leicestershire County Council, Inspire Leicestershire, etc shared the evening with parents and family members. The evening was a great success and a fantastic way to end the 1^st year of the project. Lets hope that 2011 brings with it lots more fantastic articles and many more young reporters.

                                                   Young people recognised at awards                                

   

The 12^th edition of Leicester WAVE came out on December 29th and was another testament to the dedication of the young people involved in the newspaper. Thank you to everyone who worked on this edition and ensured that it happened over Christmas. It was a great edition. 

The next 12 months for WAVE will be crucial in order to attract the funding needed to develop an advertising strand. The young people are looking for funding of around £40,000 to ensure that the newspaper can run for another year whilst the Leicester Mercury’s advertising team help them develop a sustainable approach to ensuring that the newspaper continues with support.

The young people are very excited about the opportunities this will bring in terms of both developing personal skills and experience and also enabling the WAVE to become a sustainable young people’s written sourced and edited newspaper, that will be around for years to come. 

Leicester Children’s Council have had the most hectic 12 months and the next three are going to be just as busy. There 20 members representing different areas of the city. As a result of the WAM (We All Matter) consultation and the successful roundtable event, the young people have decided to get involved in two small projects, one of which is linked to the play strategy and the other is linked to young people getting involved in Community Ward meetings in a more creative way.  I am sure over the next few months I will be keeping you updated with the developments of the projects.

                               Leicester Children's Council play workshop

Alongside this the Wot Box projects will continue running in seven of the city’s libraries. Sessions are being delivered in Braunstone, New Parks, Beaumont Leys, Saffron, Evington, Hamilton, and Central Lending. Over 50 young people have attended sessions and some young people have conducted interviews and produced articles that have featured in Leicester WAVE.

Two Halves One Whole 

I am going to be working with the Family Action steering group of young people over the next few months to help develop and support them to deliver 2 workshops for professionals around working with mixed heritage young people and their families. The young people are so excited that they received the funding and are going to actually get the chance to “Teach adults”. I will be keeping you updated with the developments of the training and the delivery of the workshops and also the feedback collected from the professionals attending.

Two Halves One Whole steering group

Integrated Working Advisory Board

The young people involved in the advisory board had a great year in 2010 and I am sure that by spending the next three months focusing on their involvement within communities, 2011 will be a brilliant year for them. With their involvement and ideas they have been able to develop their Scenarios DVD for the Children’s Workforce, which will be released soon. I am sure that there will be a launch event so all the young people and adults involved can see the final product. I can’t wait as it was a great project to work on.

Integrated Working Advisory Board young people developing scenarios  

With all this positive participation taking place already and with so much more in the pipeline, I am very excited and very very very happy to be doing the job that I am doing. I’m very much looking forward to 2011 and working with the people who make my job and the work that I do the best job in the world . . .. Leicester’s Children and Young People.

I hope everyone has a great 2011

Happy New Year. 

You can get in touch with me at:

tina@wotboxcons.co.uk           Tel: 0116-2422940      Mobile: 07521289520