RocNewz are awarded the prize for Young People's Group at the 2010 Local Hearts Awards
The winners of the Young People’s Group Award were RocNewz, the creators of a newsletter aimed at Birmingham’s children in care.
The group selects themes for articles, reports on news, views and events and provides information on issues that affect looked after young people, highlighting their concerns.
The RocNewz reporters undertook their first major roving reporters’ assignment earlier this year at the G2K10, a summer fun consultation event for Birmingham’s children in care.
Visibly thrilled with his award, Luke McClean beamed while talking about some of the projects he’s been active in, including a community cafe and a youth club for young people, as well as his future as a social entrepreneur. Asked about how it feels to win an award, he grinned:
“You don’t do it to get an award and you don’t do it to get anything out of it; you do it because you see people’s faces and the kids are so enthusiastic. It’s such a buzz and it makes you feel amazing.”
Shaun from Voice is Power feels empowered thanks to the work he does campaigning on issues affecting young people and the community as a whole. He spoke to us at the showcase event launching the new Voice is Power website, as part of Local Democracy Week.
Shaun talks about the impact different media forms can have in communicating messages, and his own hopes for the future. Particularly active in campaigning about pressures affecting young people in education, Shaun is enthusiastic about the impact youth volunteering has in the community, as well as enjoying the feeling he gets from raising awareness of these issues.
You can see the full interview with Shaun by watching the video above.
Claire Spencer of Chamberlain Forum attended the Voice is Power website launch showcase and spoke to some of the young people involved in their campaigns. This selection of videos charts the work ViP is doing on behalf of young people, focusing on the key issues which were raised by their peers.
In the video above, Manni discusses his role in leading on a campaign tackling the education pressures which face young people. Manni and his colleagues have already met with councillors and elected representatives to address the issues, and they will be working with schools to bring in a series of recommendations. (more…)
Voice is Power launched their new website at a special event as part of Local Democracy Week
Birmingham’s Children and Young People’s Parliament, Voice is Power, held a special event as part of Local Democracy Week to launch their new website. A number of groups and individuals were involved in the showcase, including dancers, singers and poet Matt Windle, alongside information about their current campaigns and the unveiling of a new video which will be taken to local schools to promote the work they do.
Below are some of the key points from the speakers’ presentations about work the young people are doing with Voice is Power.
Young Champions: Young people have a right to have their voice be heard. Young Champions involved in numerous campaigns as well as meeting to talk about their views
ViP DVD launch: Wanting to make improvements to lives and the surrounding community. Birmingham a multicultural but divided city – engaging young people in political and community issues is a way of overcoming those barriers/boundaries and enhancing social cohesion. Optimism and change
Campaign – Activities: Trying to work with Birmingham City Council to enhance opportunities for what young people can do in the city (inc making planned Paradise Circus library young people-friendly). Working with schools to help them become more active in the community too. Meetings with leading councillors to encourage them to prioritise issues affecting young people
Campaign – Racism: Debates and discussion groups plus going to schools to talk about what’s been learned and ways of tackling the issue of racism in a multicultural society
Campaign – Education pressures: Working with council committee after conducting a consultation among young people. The findings stressed the problems of pressure from families, teachers and and the prospect of exams. Recommendations were shared at the consultation stage and will be put forward in order to try to help young people reach their full potential in education and beyond
Campaign – Violence in the Community: Trying to build relationships between young people and the police as a way of presenting young people’s concerns and views to authorities
Campaign – Anti bullying: Raising awareness of issues affecting young people relating to bullying, and drawing up strategies which can help to tackle the problem. Collating information and resources which exist to help people who are affected by bullying. Implementing a Twitter campaign in order to get people talking about bullying and attract support for the anti-bullying campaign
Matthew Ebo, a 2009 Local Hearts Award winner, interviews Jenny Miller about her work as part of a mentoring project in the Nechells area of Birmingham. The project is designed to assist young black people, primarily boys between 9-16 years of age, with their academic development at the same time as addressing educational underachievement.
The ultimate aim of the project is to enhance the young people’s aspirations and the routes that are open to them in their lives. The final minute of the interview is particularly interesting, with Jenny reflecting on some of the improvement in grades and behaviour as a result of the project, charting the educational and social benefits that initiatives such as this are capable of bringing about.
Local councillors will visit various schools in the Erdington constituency to talk to children and young people about democracy, and engage with them about local issues.
In conjunction with Ladywood Constituency Committee, there will be a Question Time style event for young people on October 14th. It is being held in order to encourage young people to engage with civic and political issues affecting their local area. For more information contact Sandra Lawrence below.
Constituency: Ladywood
When: October 14th 2010, 1700 – 2000
Where: Safeside, West Midlands Fire Service, 101 Vauxhall Road, Birmingham, B7 4HW
Laurel Road Sports Centre in Handsworth is hosting a Community Cohesion event aimed at boys and girls aged 7 to 13 years. Run in conjunction with Soho Young Children and Faith & Football, it will explore issues of democracy and integration in the community.
This showcase event is organised by Voice is Power – Birmingham’s Youth Parliament. It will provide, children, young people and professionals from across the city to discuss the campaigns and issues which are important to them. For more information contact Dario Silvestro (see below for contact details).
Constituency: Edgbaston
When: 21st October 2010, 1630 – 1900
Where: Midland Arts Centre (MAC), Cannon Hill Park, B12 9QH
