Creative Spaces
An important part of all youth work is to help young people become "creators and not just consumers" of services. While this is achieved in many different ways in YMCA programmes, in West Cork's Youth Information Service this creativity has taken a particular focus thanks to a digital creativity initiative which have been established with the support of the 'TechSpace' network.
An important part of all youth work is to help young people become "creators and not just consumers" of services. While this is achieved in many different ways in YMCA programmes, in West Cork's Youth Information Service this creativity has taken a particular focus thanks to a digital creativity initiative which have been established with the support of the 'TechSpace' network.
How was the need for the project first identified?
How was the need for the project first identified?
A strategic review of the West Cork Youth Information Service in 2013 identified the opportunity to create opportunities to help young people use creative methodologies so that they could contribute more effectively in their ever changing world.
A strategic review of the West Cork Youth Information Service in 2013 identified the opportunity to create opportunities to help young people use creative methodologies so that they could contribute more effectively in their ever changing world.
Accordingly the service has experimented with using a number of different digital based pedagogical approaches as it has attempted to help young people develop resources around real life issues that have been relevant to them and their peers.
Accordingly the service has experimented with using a number of different digital based pedagogical approaches as it has attempted to help young people develop resources around real life issues that have been relevant to them and their peers.
What are the project's aims?
What are the project's aims?
At a pedagogical level the project has a number of aims including:
At a pedagogical level the project has a number of aims including:
To help each young person to realise the depth of their creative abilities and to encourage them to believe in their powers of innovation and to create the conditions where they can flourish.
To help each young person to realise the depth of their creative abilities and to encourage them to believe in their powers of innovation and to create the conditions where they can flourish.
To help each person use their imagination to express themselves as they experiment, embrace “failure” as part of the learning experiences and ultimately learn by doing as they create using their medium of choice.
To help each person use their imagination to express themselves as they experiment, embrace “failure” as part of the learning experiences and ultimately learn by doing as they create using their medium of choice.
To encourage young people to experiment with different mediums by trying new things and emerging technologies
To encourage young people to experiment with different mediums by trying new things and emerging technologies
To help raise their awareness of the nature and impact of inequalities and to involve young people themselves in working to challenge and change them, and not just the young people directly affected
To help raise their awareness of the nature and impact of inequalities and to involve young people themselves in working to challenge and change them, and not just the young people directly affected
On a practical level the project has a number objectives including:
On a practical level the project has a number objectives including:
To identify issues that are affecting young people in the West Cork area and to help young people develop responses to address these issues
To identify issues that are affecting young people in the West Cork area and to help young people develop responses to address these issues
To help young people develop skills in digital media including ‘Creative Confidence’ skills: i.e. Ideation, Innovation, Collaboration, Flexibility & Persistence
To help young people develop skills in digital media including ‘Creative Confidence’ skills: i.e. Ideation, Innovation, Collaboration, Flexibility & Persistence
To support young people to use digital media to develop responses to issues and to provide opportunities to share their responses at showcase events or via social media. In this way young voices are magnified further helping to ensure their perspectives are considered by those with the power to affect change.
To support young people to use digital media to develop responses to issues and to provide opportunities to share their responses at showcase events or via social media. In this way young voices are magnified further helping to ensure their perspectives are considered by those with the power to affect change.
What were some of the highlights for the programme during the past year?
What were some of the highlights for the programme during the past year?
Schools based youth information projects were run with young people in second level schools in Bandon, Dunmanway, Skibbereen and Schull. These projects supported young people analyse a problem or local issue, explore and formulate responses and then present their learning using digital media to their peers and wider communities. Some of the issues that were explored including mental health, cyber security and road safety.
Schools based youth information projects were run with young people in second level schools in Bandon, Dunmanway, Skibbereen and Schull. These projects supported young people analyse a problem or local issue, explore and formulate responses and then present their learning using digital media to their peers and wider communities. Some of the issues that were explored including mental health, cyber security and road safety.
"Youth Reporters" is an example of how young people, when trained in the use of digital media tools, can act so that youth perspectives are considered by those with the power to affect change. Some of the examples of the work of Youth Reporters during the year included: visit of Amina J Mohammed UN deputy secretary general to Ireland, European Youth Event in Strasbourg, YMCA Europe YES Seminar in Hintersee and Dóchas annual conference.
"Youth Reporters" is an example of how young people, when trained in the use of digital media tools, can act so that youth perspectives are considered by those with the power to affect change. Some of the examples of the work of Youth Reporters during the year included: visit of Amina J Mohammed UN deputy secretary general to Ireland, European Youth Event in Strasbourg, YMCA Europe YES Seminar in Hintersee and Dóchas annual conference.
Another highlight of the programme during the year was ConversationZ which involved young people researching an issue or challenge affecting them and producing a podcast which is shared with their peers via social media. This creates an opportunity for conversations to be started with their peers. Some issues have been featured in the podcast series include: YMCA 'I Am Whole' mental heath campaign and 'Young Voices 2018' that focused on contributions to the creation of the new EU Youth Strategy.
Another highlight of the programme during the year was ConversationZ which involved young people researching an issue or challenge affecting them and producing a podcast which is shared with their peers via social media. This creates an opportunity for conversations to be started with their peers. Some issues have been featured in the podcast series include: YMCA 'I Am Whole' mental heath campaign and 'Young Voices 2018' that focused on contributions to the creation of the new EU Youth Strategy.
Comments from young people involved in the project.
Comments from young people involved in the project.
“It has given me a platform to express my thoughts on important issues in a creative process that provides me with essential life skills.”
“It has given me a platform to express my thoughts on important issues in a creative process that provides me with essential life skills.”
“The YMCA hands young people the literal equipment and facilities we need to make and learn, and also to meet and interact with other young people from different places. I never felt as though I was a juvenile young person in a group of other young people being spoken down to......It has always felt as though it's completely about sharing information and having conversations which to me is quite refreshing.”
“The YMCA hands young people the literal equipment and facilities we need to make and learn, and also to meet and interact with other young people from different places. I never felt as though I was a juvenile young person in a group of other young people being spoken down to......It has always felt as though it's completely about sharing information and having conversations which to me is quite refreshing.”
"I have seen my confidence steadily grow over the last year and I credit it to my involvement in digital media work. As well as that, my mind has been opened to a whole new range of career opportunities. Before getting involved I would have seen certain careers as unreachable and hadn't even considered them a possibility for my future, whereas now they seem far more achievable.”
"I have seen my confidence steadily grow over the last year and I credit it to my involvement in digital media work. As well as that, my mind has been opened to a whole new range of career opportunities. Before getting involved I would have seen certain careers as unreachable and hadn't even considered them a possibility for my future, whereas now they seem far more achievable.”
YMCA Youth Reporters have fun reporting from #Dóchas2018 as they record a vox pop on the challenges and opportunities to engage the Irish public in the fight against global poverty, inequality and injustice.
YMCA West Cork digital media group wins global cybersecurity company video competition "The winning video really highlights the importance of critical thinking; questioning everything and not believing all that you see and read on-line. It was so refreshing to see how this issue was creatively portrayed and the video has already provoked so much good conversation among their peers and our judges. " ~ Avril Ronan, global programme manager for internet safety, Trend Micro.