Bulletin 22 January 2010

Global Exchange Opportunity

Starting in May and running for 12 weeks, Global Exchange is looking for voluntary placements for a pair of young volunteers (one from the UK and one from Syria, both aged between 18 and 25) for 3 to 4 days a week.  Volunteers will be supported by programme supervisors (one from the UK and one from Syria) and their expenses will be covered by Global Exchange.

If you’ve got a long term, full time placement that would benefit from young people getting involved and that will give them the opportunity to learn about life in Newcastle, meet members of the local community and develop skills then get in touch with Herbie Cooper at Changemakers on 0191 226 7330.

Brighter Futures

Save the Children held a review of all its UK work in 2008 following a significant budget reduction in our UK programme.  The outcome of this review concluded that we must realign our resources behind one clear aim, namely, ending severe and persistent poverty. Identifying a single focus combined with a significant budget reduction has meant taking the difficult decision to close some of our offices across the UK, including our North East office in Newcastle and to withdraw from our ‘Protection’ work with refugee and asylum seeking children and young people.  However, Save the Children is committed to identifying the best outcomes for the children and young people involved in our affected projects.

As a result Brighter Futures is funded by the Big Lottery and run by Save the Children only until 31st January 2010.  Save the Children have therefore had to stop working with our Brighter Futures Tees Valley group on the 15th December 2009.  This however does not detract from the successes of the project.  The young people have led a successful campaign to raise awareness of and reduce racism and bullying and they can be proud of their achievements which include:

•    Producing awareness raising posters, post-cards, and DVD’s
•    Presentations and workshops in local schools and regional conferences
•    Organising national conferences for MP’s and other decision makers
•    National and local media work.
•    Developing partnerships with regional and national youth and refugee organisations

Save the Children would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support, very much appreciated it.  As you know Save the Children staff have been working with partner organisations to secure a future for Brighter Futures and we are delighted that the North of England Refugee Service (NERS) has agreed to continue Brighter Futures in the Tees Valley from January 2010.

NERS are going to run sessions at the Middlesbrough International Centre on a Tuesday evening from 6pm to 8pm as usual and will be providing transport using Stockton Community Transport Service as usual.  The contact person for Brighter Futures at NERS is Martyn Hudson, Communities & Youth Projects Manager, email: mh@refugee.org.uk,

North of England Refugee Service, Sylvan House, Third Floor, 2-16 Woodlands Road, Middlesbrough
TS1 3BE, Tel: (01642) 217447.

If you require any further information or clarification do not hesitate to contact Rona Blackwood at Save the Children in London on 0207 012 6461.

Young Brits at Art 2010: Turning Young People’s Vision into Art

Young Brits at Art is back!

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is re-launching its Young Brits at Art awards, inviting 11-19 year olds from all walks of life to express their vision of this year’s theme: ‘What would the world look like if we lived without prejudice?’

This academic year, Young Brits at Art offers new resources for educators which complement and reinforce learning under the National Curriculum in England and Wales and the Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland. The resources aim to model good practice in facilitating young people’s creative work exploring equality and human rights. They are also designed to help educators and group leaders organise activities to support young people’s entries to the Young Brits at Art awards. Find out more about the resources here.
The awards can benefit young people in schools, youth clubs, Connexions services, pupil referral units, faith groups, libraries, leisure centres and other local council facilities. Charities and museums can use the awards as part of their existing youth programmes. Individual young people can also develop their own artwork and enter independently.

After the success of the first year of the awards in 2009, Young Brits at Art 2010 includes new categories such as photography, sculpture and motion animation, as well as its previous sections for painting and drawings. Our goal is to get more schools and youth centres involved by providing new and innovative resources that support the teaching of arts and citizenship as well as ongoing work with young people outside the school system. We will also host 45 artist-led workshops to support those taking part, with a particular emphasis on young people from disabled, hard to reach and vulnerable backgrounds.

For more information and to sign up to the awards, visit the website.

Young Brits at Art is part of a wider programme of work with young people, for more information visit www.equalityhumanrights.com/youth

New programme of work for aspiring young vocalists, rappers, MCs, DJs, producers and instrumentalists

UMT (Urban Music Training) is split into 3 main strands:

UMT:BEATS – our 12 week training course for aspiring DJs and producers.

UMT:VOX – A 12 week mentorship scheme, partnering the finest vocalists, rappers and MCs with the best producers in the region to work on original music.

UMT:PLAY – week-long intensive courses during term-breaks for any aspiring musician (vocalists, rappers, MCs, DJs, instrumentalists).

Each strand works on creating, recording and performing original music, with a high profile events programme running alongside the UMT programme.

All spaces are free but extremely limited and we are recruiting now for courses in 2010.

Young people are central to the planning of the programme and to the planning and production of our events.  We are looking for more young people to join our UMT:ROOTS steering group.

All spaces are free but extremely limited and we are recruiting now for courses in 2010.

Young people are central to the planning of the programme and to the planning and production of our events.  They are looking for more young people to join our UMT:ROOTS steering group. More information

Bulletin 15 January 2010

Recruiting Now: v20 Season 5

Vinspired are seeking Enthusiastic, Motivated and committed young people!! – No Experience Necessary.

Since Vinspired launched in May 2006 v has achieved great things – making a massive and lasting difference to the world of youth volunteering. Their v20 Youth Advisory Board members can take them even further. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to make a difference, and build the kind of experience you won’t find anywhere else. As part of v20, young people can be at the heart of the organisation, making sure they remain relevant and responsive to young people’s needs. Last year’s v20 hosted our National Conference, rubbed shoulders with the stars at the vinspired National Awards and had loads of fun during residential weekends.

v20 influence the work of v and ensure that it remains focused on young people.  v20 advise v and help v to meet its goals to:

•    Increase the numbers of young people volunteering
•    Improving volunteering opportunities for young people
•    Increase the diversity of young volunteers.
•    Act as a youth volunteering ambassador

Volunteering with v20 brings huge opportunities for both personal and organisational development.  It requires time, dedication, energy, creativity and a good sense of humour!  Previous seasons have worked with all sorts of people from all sorts of backgrounds so flexibility and tolerance is much in demand.  v20 bring all of these qualities and more to v.

In return for volunteering with v they’ll make every effort to harness young people’s talent for the benefit of youth volunteering.  Vinspired do everything they can to make the v20 experience both challenging and fun.  Through volunteering to be part of v20 young people can make a genuine difference, gain lifelong friends, not to mention make history.

The Application form and Guidance Notes are available to be downloaded from their website

In order to be considered for a position on the v20 Youth Advisory Board, applicants must be:

•    Aged 16 – 24 yrs (when you apply)
•    Resident in England

To make the most of the opportunity, they should be willing to

•    Volunteer for 1 year (April 2010-April 2011): this will be split up with 8 weekend residentials, plus minimum of 10 hours per month extra (either online or face to face).
•    Able to represent their own views, not those of an organisation, group or other project.
•    Willing to travel to locations across England (with v organising and paying for travel)

Closing date for applications: 5pm on Wednesday 17th February

If you are aware of any young people who may be interested in joining the v20 Youth Advisory Board, please forward link to the application form which is downloadable from our website. If you have any questions about the form, contact Gary Brunskill

Completed forms must be posted / emailed to WJP Floyd Ltd (the nice people sorting out the recruitment): At one of these addresses:

Postal address:

WJP Floyd Ltd
1 Gunpowder Square,
Fleet Street,
London, EC4A 3EP

Email address: v@wjpfloyd.co.uk

SALTO’s European Training Calendar

A new training offer has been published in SALTO’s European Training Calendar.
Date: 2010-01-12
Title: International Leader Training Seminar (ILTS)
From 2010-04-28 to 2010-05-03 in Denmark
Activity type: Training course
Target groups: Project managers, Trainers, Young people, Youth leaders, Youth Policy Makers, Youth workers
For participants from: ALL YOUTH IN ACTION PROGRAMME COUNTRIES, NEIGHBOURING PARTNER COUNTRIES, ALL OTHERS
Title: TOSHYLO , training opportunity for sending and hosting youngsters with less opportunities
From 2010-02-22 to 2010-02-27 in Belgium – FL
Activity type: Training course
Target groups: Youth leaders, Youth Policy Makers, Youth workers
For participants from: ALL YOUTH IN ACTION PROGRAMME COUNTRIES
For detailed information, please have a look at website
Please make active use of all our other online resources and services available via MySALTO

Artsplan Youth Arts Training Programme for the North East – Spring/Summer 2010

Using the Arts with Juvenile and Young Offenders
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead, 17th March 2010, 10 am- 4.15 pm

This one-day workshop explores the benefits of using creative activities with young offenders, both within the community and the secure estate.  Developed in partnership with SOFT TOUCH this course will examine practical issues, such as those encountered in secure units and personal issues, such as motivation and the development of the young people.  The course will use a mixture of training techniques to help educate and inform.

Previous participant Nöelle O’Donoghue, Learning and Participation Officer, Traverse Theatre commented: “It was an informative day. The things discussed will aid me when working with young offenders/ ‘at risk’ young people in the future”.

All participants will receive a certificate of attendance upon successful completion of the course, and a wealth of practical resources, including a copy of the Artsplan published guidelines ‘Using the Arts with Juvenile and Young Offenders’ (RRP £7.50). Prices for the course, which include lunch and refreshments, range from £110 to £150, with limited bursaries also available. Please also remember that ENYAN members can request a 5% discount on all Artsplan publications and training!

Creative Facilitation
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Arts, Gateshead, 6th May 2010, 10 am- 4.15 pm

The ‘Creative Facilitation’ course provides an introduction to a creative approach to group facilitation. It aims to encourage, develop and inspire those with responsibility to lead others through a facilitative process, be it for the purposes of team building, consultation, idea-generation or training. Throughout the day we will be using a number of different interactive exercises and games in order to illustrate content. We will also look at group dynamics, communication issues and different learning styles in order to explore how these might be of impact.

Participants recently undertaking this course have been keen to endorse the training:

‘This has given me so much more confidence to go out and deliver training. I feel inspired and can’t stop jotting down ideas!’

‘Really excellent course – very interesting subject with so much relevance to arts and community and education work. [Course trainer] structured, presented and led the course with so much skill and enthusiasm. I really enjoyed it.’

All participants will receive a certificate of attendance upon successful completion of the course and a wealth of practical resources. Prices for each course, which include lunch and refreshments, range from £150 to £110, with limited bursaries available. Please also remember that ENYAN members can request a 5% discount on all Artsplan publications and training!

Using the Arts to Develop Aspiration, Leadership and Potential
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead, 24th June 2010, 10 am- 4.15 pm

The one-day course, ‘Using the Arts to develop Aspiration, Leadership and Potential’, has been created as part of the legacy for the 2009 ENYAN Campaign and has been developed following a period of research conducted by ENYAN, throughout the 9 English regions into how participation in cultural activities can have a significant impact on young people’s development and can give young people the chance to develop important life skills such as creativity, confidence, self discipline, effective communication and the ability to work in teams.

This course is suitable for anyone, professional or voluntary, seeking to use or develop the arts in their work with young people. It looks to demonstrate how the arts can be used as a mechanism to develop young people’s leadership skills, aspiration and potential. It celebrates inspirational examples of young people who have excelled through engagement in youth-led arts projects, continue to achieve well and are an inspiration to both the youth and cultural sectors at large. The course also benefits from being part facilitated by young people who have taken on leadership roles within a creative setting.

Rachel Preston, Artsplan Development Manager, commented: “This course makes the case for why we should be investing time and resources into providing creative opportunities for young people that can engage and empower them.”

All participants will receive a certificate of attendance upon successful completion of the course and a wealth of practical resources. Prices for each course, which include lunch and refreshments, range from £110 to £150, with limited bursaries available. Please also remember that ENYAN members can request a 5% discount on all Artsplan publications and training!

To download the ENYAN ‘Young Arts Leaders’ campaign document visit.

Young Brits at Art 2010: Turning Young People’s Vision into Art

Young Brits at Art is back!

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is re-launching its Young Brits at Art awards, inviting 11-19 year olds from all walks of life to express their vision of this year’s theme: ‘What would the world look like if we lived without prejudice?’

This academic year, Young Brits at Art offers new resources for educators which complement and reinforce learning under the National Curriculum in England and Wales and the Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland. The resources aim to model good practice in facilitating young people’s creative work exploring equality and human rights. They are also designed to help educators and group leaders organise activities to support young people’s entries to the Young Brits at Art awards. Find out more about the resources here.
The awards can benefit young people in schools, youth clubs, Connexions services, pupil referral units, faith groups, libraries, leisure centres and other local council facilities. Charities and museums can use the awards as part of their existing youth programmes. Individual young people can also develop their own artwork and enter independently.
After the success of the first year of the awards in 2009, Young Brits at Art 2010 includes new categories such as photography, sculpture and motion animation, as well as its previous sections for painting and drawings. Our goal is to get more schools and youth centres involved by providing new and innovative resources that support the teaching of arts and citizenship as well as ongoing work with young people outside the school system. We will also host 45 artist-led workshops to support those taking part, with a particular emphasis on young people from disabled, hard to reach and vulnerable backgrounds.

For more information and to sign up to the awards, visit the website.

Young Brits at Art is part of a wider programme of work with young people, for more information visit www.equalityhumanrights.com/youth

Bulletin 8 January 2010

UK Youth Qualifications

UK Youths New Level 2 Peer Qualifications
UK Youth have developed 4 new qualifications, a level 2 Peer Education Award and Certificate, and a level 2 Peer Mentoring Award and Certificate which are to be launched from January 2010.
UK Youth first launched its BTEC qualifications in Peer Education and Peer Mentoring in 2004. The feedback from deliverers and learners was that the BTECs needed updating and changing. Taking into account this feedback, these programmes have now been reviewed and rewritten to accommodate the changes and become units that conform to the Qualifications Credit Framework (QCF).

The four new qualifications

•         Level 2 Award in Peer Education (70hrs)
•         Level 2 Certificate in Peer Education (130hrs)
•         Level 2 Award in Peer Mentoring (70hrs) show
•         Level 2 Certificate in Peer Mentoring (130hrs)

All of the qualifications are open to young people aged 14 years and above. All qualifications are made up of mandatory units and optional units.

The units that make up the Awards define the essential knowledge, understanding and practical skills required of a competent peer educator or peer mentor.

The units that make up the Certificate builds on the Award by providing additional opportunities to address development needs which are specific to particular sections of this diverse area.

These new qualifications are intended to provide added creditability to peer education and peer mentoring through recognition of the valuable role it plays in non-formal teaching and learning.

These qualifications will support career progression both in general terms and in within the area of learning support and progression into other related roles.

AV Festival 2010 Volunteer Information

AV Festival 2010, the biennial international festival of electronic arts, including visual art, music and film, returns this year and will take place over 10 days from 5 to 14 March 2010 across the urban centres of NewcastleGateshead, Middlesbrough and Sunderland. The programme is curated around the theme of energy and includes over 20 new commissions, 20 exhibitions, 30 performances, 10 film screenings and 3 conferences.

The Festival occupies some of the region’s most outstanding cultural venues including mima (Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art), BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Tyneside Cinema. In addition, new works have been commissioned for landmark buildings including the Civic Centre Carillon Bell Tower, Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens and the north tower of the iconic Tyne Bridge in Newcastle. The theme of energy is examined from different perspectives, ranging from kinetic, sound, light and electromagnetic energy to the spiritual and human.

AV are looking for motivated and enthusiastic volunteers from across the whole region to get involved with all aspects of the festival. The success of the festival depends on the astounding support of the volunteer team.

AV are looking for volunteers…

•    With a wide range of skills and experience
•    From all backgrounds , at least 16 years of age
•    Who are able to commit to a minimum of 5 shifts, ranging right up to the whole festival
•    Who are enthusiastic, committed and flexible
•    Have an interest in culture and the arts
•    Know the North East region
•    Who are confident, outgoing and friendly

Volunteering with AV Festival 2010 will provide you with the opportunity to…

•    Develop new skills
•    Explore new interests
•    Enhance your CV
•    Take responsibility in a challenging but well supported environment
•    Increase your confidence
•    Develop networks and contacts
•    Gain knowledge of events management
•    Develop communication skills
•    Improve employability – get a very real ‘foot in the door’
•    Meet likeminded people and make new friends

AV will provide festival volunteers with…

•    Induction and Training
•    Support from the volunteer coordination team
•    Some food and travel expenses
•    Volunteer closing party

AV Festival Volunteering Tasks

Here are just some of the tasks you will be able to get involved with as a festival volunteer, if you have a particular interest in one area of the festival or experience you think is relevant, please let AV know and they will do their best to match your skills and experience to your role as a festival volunteer.

•    Event assistance Taking responsibility for festival hospitality, ticketing, ushering, invigilation and assisting the festival team at previews, openings and VIP events
•    Artist liaison Looking after festival artists and VIPs
•    Documentation Photographing, blogging, filming and podcasting festival events
•    Market research Conducting audience research
•    Marketing assistance Promotional support, e-marketing and social media support
•    Technical assistance Helping with the installation and running of exhibitions and events
•    Administration Supporting the festival team in the day-to-day operations of the festival

How to apply

Please complete the online application form here
The deadline for applications is 11th Jan 2010

Opportunity to win IPod Shuffle

The Young Advisors Charity is working with Community Development Foundation to see what makes or doesn’t make young people feel an active member of their community.  If you’re between 13 and 21, and you would like to spend just five minutes answering six really quick questions, you could be in with a chance to win one of four iPod Shuffles.

Just go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/empowered

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SALTO European Training
A new training offer has been published in SALTO’s European Training Calendar.
Date: 2010-01-06
Title: Body Response: Dance, Movement and Expression Training for Youth Leaders, Youth Workers, Youth Trainers
From 2010-01-22 to 2010-01-24 in Greece
Activity type: Seminar
Target groups: Trainers, Young people, Youth leaders, Youth workers
For participants from: ALL YOUTH IN ACTION PROGRAMME COUNTRIES, SOUTH-EAST EUROPE
For detailed information, please have a look at http://www.salto-youth.net/find-a-training/1678.html
For more training information please visit: http://www.salto-youth.net/training/