Desire Lines R&D

I have been awarded a grant from Arts Council England to research and develop this project ‘Desire Lines’. I am developing creative ways of working with young people in my local town, Cinderford. Through creative sessions we will investigate and be led by young people to outdoor spaces around the town, explore identity and think about how people connect to place.

Looking at the Forest Voluntary Action Forum website I've found their 3 year plan for supporting young people:

Support young people into appropriate volunteering opportunities;

Support young people into training and employment;

Create new youth activity to address need in the area;

Assist existing youth and community activities to better support young people in the area;

Mentor young people within the community;

Advocate on behalf of and involving young people in decisions which affect them;

Lead the Cinderford Youth Rewards Scheme.

“The above actions are in direct response to reports from our Cinderford Health and Wellbeing Project, which recently found that young people in Cinderford feel less of a connection with and are less proud of where they live, when compared to other generations.”

Some quick google searches to research findings around funding cuts to youth services and rising knife crime...

https://www.ymca.org.uk/outofservice

https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2014/07/On-line-Catalogue225322.pdf

CALL-OUT

As part of the Desire Lines project we would love to hear from young people based in Cinderford. We are inviting submissions of 1-2 minute videos taken whilst out and about in Cinderford.

Deadline: Friday 30th October 2020

Submit videos via wetransfer to: [email protected]

Get in touch via the above email with any questions or support with wetransfer or to submit via another format.

More from creative margins

“Just outside Cardiff there’s a new open Museum of Welsh Life: St Fagans.  There’s an indoor skate park in Brighton Youth Centre, with wide windows overlooking the sea. In trendy Manchester Northern Quarter there’s an Old Curiosity Shop building called The Horsfall, a dedicated small arts and performance space next to and joined in with The Space, Forty Second Street, a young people’s resource for mental health support. In Bradford, there’s Theatre in the Mill, home to Common Wealth  (clue in the name). And last up, Tate and the Circuit Programme for Youth Engagement.

Work from The AHRC Creative Margins Network

“The aim is to share knowledge across the fields and disciplines of Art and youth/community work by opening spaces for discussion and critical debate.”

What are the right conditions for effective, creative collaborations with young people?

Honesty

Trusted, safe, plenty of inspiration

Trust

Feed them

Creating a safe space and room to be yourself

Safe spaces – take the art to them!

Interesting work in Manchester...

FVAF Cinderford Youth Development Officer

Police Community Support Officer, Gloucestershire Constabulary, Forest of Dean Area.

Artspace Cinderford- Currently operating online, youth programme due to start: Creative Hub: For ages 11 years up 6th October – 10th November 6 – 7pm

Cinderford High School

CANDI Youth project at Cafe 31- Monday drop in sessions

Two Rivers Housing Association green space- Publicly accessible green spaces in Cinderford

Splinters Youth Club- Currently unused, potential space adjacent to Cinderford High School

I have been in conversation with local youth development officer working for the  Forest Voluntary Action Forum, talking about ideas for this project. As with everywhere there has been a great reduction in youth services over the years and the after effects on young people are mentioned on their website:

“With little funding for youth provision and support over the last decade, Cinderford has gained a reputation for low participation and aspiration amongst many young people. 

Thanks to funding from the Trusthouse Foundation we aim to address this over the next three years. Our 3-year Plan will:

Support young people into appropriate volunteering opportunities;

Support young people into training and employment;

Create new youth activity to address need in the area;

Assist existing youth and community activities to better support young people in the area;Mentor young people within the community;

Advocate on behalf of and involving young people in decisions which affect them;

Lead the Cinderford Youth Rewards Scheme.

‘Borderline’ Woodcut printed with coal black ink and Forest ochre.

‘Rights of Way’ Woodcut proof printed with Forest of Dean ochre pigment.

Youth resistance for environmental and social justice.