It is packed full of regional and national information to keep you as informed as possible for the upcoming week.
Our new delivery day of Tuesday means any information which you’d like us to include needs to be sent to Rachel on rachel@rywu.org.uk or Ria on ria@rywu.org.uk by 12pm Monday.

If you would like to be included on our mailing list to see the excellent and interesting information the Unit has to offer please send your details and organisation to rachel@rywu.org.uk.

Wishing you a productive week,

Regional Youth Work Unit – North East

If you would like to be added to the mailing list please contact rachel@rywu.org.uk

If you are already on our mailing list please keep us informed of your current contact details and keep up to date with the Unit and Youth work in the North East!

Using Adolescent Energy to Reduce Energy Use

Northumbria University, are carrying out a new and novel research project entitled ‘Taking on the Teenagers – Using Adolescent Energy to Reduce Energy Use’.

This research project focuses upon teenagers’ views and uses of energy and aims to investigate, develop, and evaluate mobile solutions to reduce teenage energy use.

The project will actively involve teenagers through a range of methods including gathering their views, involvement in the design and evaluation of new products and involving teenagers as researchers themselves.

This project is a collaboration between five UK universities including ourselves at Northumbria University. The first stage of this project at Northumbria University includes a questionnaire, stories and focus groups.

Nicola Gardiner
Senior Research Assistant
PaCT Lab
Department of Psychology
School of Life Sciences
Northumbria University
Northumberland Building
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 8ST
Telephone: 0191 227 3723
Email: nicola.gardiner@northumbria.ac.uk

What is it like to be a child or young person

living in the North East in 2011?

Children North East, the regional children’s charity is 120 years old in 2011!

We are carrying out a photography project across the North East to better understand children and young people’s lives.

What is it like where you live?
What’s good and bad?

What would you do to change things for the better?

What is poverty?  Where do you see poverty in the North East and what does it look like?

We need your help!

We are inviting children and young people’s groups from across the North East to take part. You can be any age up to 18 years old.  This will involve a short discussion in your project and the distribution of cameras.  You can then take photographs as a group or individually.  Children North East will supply packs which will include disposable cameras, a briefing & monitoring form.

If you agree photographs will be part of an exhibition that will be displayed at a national event in the autumn and will then tour around the whole of the North East and some may even be published in books!For more information or to get involved contact

Sara Bryson at Children North East on 0191 256 2444 or 07760788 643 or by email sara.bryson@children-ne.org

Also if you are living in Newcastle or Gateshead, are aged between 15-25 years old, and return your camera by Friday 20th May your photographs will also be entered into a competition being held by Eurocities.  One photograph will end up in a Eurocities photo book & the opportunity to travel to Genoa in Italy!!!

CPD for staff and qualifications for young people

If you work with young people aged 11 – 25 you might be interested in running Arts Award with them.
It’s a flexible qualification, and is as much about teamwork, leadership and personal development as skills in the arts.

Bronze is a Level 1 Award and is on the Foundation Learning Tier, with 6 credit points
Silver is a Level 2 Award with 10 credit points
Gold is a Level 3 Certificate with 15 credit points and 35 UCAS Tariff points

Young people need an Arts Award Adviser to support them through the Award and you can train to be an Adviser with Tees Valley Arts.
Next dates:
Thursday 5^th May Bronze/ Silver Training in Middlesbrough 10am – 4pm cost £140
Tuesday 12^th July Gold Training in Newcastle* 1pm – 4pm cost £90

*N.B to attend the Gold Training you need to have completed Bronze/ Silver Training

For further information go to www.artsaward.org.uk

Dogwoof films needs young Ambassadors!

If this sounds like an opportunity for you, get back to us for further information: maja@livity.co.uk

- Accredited Training Course

Artswork is pleased to be delivering this essential one day accredited course -‘Creating Safety: child protection and youth arts’ in partnership with BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead.

This one day course is essential training for anyone working within youth arts, but especially those using more physical art forms. The training will cover current child protection legislation in line with the requirements of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), within the context of delivering a youth arts project and includes a “safe touch” section, exploring how child protection guidelines can be maintained within more physical art forms.

It will be of benefit to individuals and organisations looking to develop their own child protection policy and maintain standards of good practice, providing practical advice and guidelines to develop confidence and sensible structures around child protection issues within youth arts.

Credits: 4 credits
QCF Level: 3
Awarding Body: ABC.
Assessment Requirements: Participants will be asked to put together a portfolio of evidence for assessment. Participants will gather this evidence both on the course day and through independent work, following the course. This work will need to be submitted to obtain the accreditation for this course.

Prices for the course, which include lunch and refreshments, range from £140 to £160.

For more information, or to make a booking, please contact Rachel Hall, Programme Manager- Artsplan, via: artsplan@artswork.org.uk or call 02380 682535. Evaluating Youth Arts Projects - 7^th July 2011, 10 am- 4.15 pm, BALTIC, Gateshead

‘Evaluating Youth Arts Projects’

in partnership with BALTIC Centre

for Contemporary Art in Gateshead.

Artwork is please to be delivering this one-day training course explores the benefits of meaningful evaluation of youth arts projects. Beginning by addressing preconceptions around evaluation (constructive exercise or chore?) the course will progress to examine methodologies, structured approaches and case studies using a series of collaborative exercises and tutor led presentations. Informative and practical, this course will help you develop your own individual approach to creative evaluation and the confidence you need to engage with evaluating youth arts projects. Rachel Hall, Artsplan Development Manager, commented: “Well planned, structured and meaningful evaluations are essential skills needed to effectively project manage. This course will provide you with creative examples and useful case studies in order to prepare you for thorough and inclusive evaluations”.
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. Members of ENYAN can request a 5% discount on all Artwork publications and training courses!

For more information, or to make a booking, please contact Rachel Hall, Programme Manager- Artsplan, via: artsplan@artswork.org.uk or call 02380 682535.

CoMusica 10: Family Workshops

At The Sage Gateshead

Steel Pan Family Workshops

These workshops for children aged 7-10yrs and their parents/carers are an exciting opportunity to play this unique set of instruments – skilfully hammered oil barrels carefully tuned to produce perfect musical tones. Previous experience isn’t required; the relaxed and informal sessions will be led by an experienced pan teacher.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Times and Dates:

10.30-11.45am and 1-2.15pm on

Tues 19th, Weds 20th, Thurs 21st April

Tues 26th, Weds 27th, Thurs 28th April

Tickets: £7

Musical Games Family Workshops

These fun family workshops for children aged 7-10yrs and their parents/carers offer a variety of singing and percussion activities, and musical twists on popular party games!

Encouraging imagination, creativity and confidence, highlights include musical forfeits to an African song, circle and team games.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Times and Dates:

10.30-11.45am and 1-2.15pm on

Tues 19th and Tues 26th April

Tickets: £7

Boom Dang Family Workshops

These Boom Dang workshops offer an accessible, versatile and fun drumming experience for children aged 7-10yrs and their parents/carers. The unique, lightweight drums are attached with harnesses and both sides of the drum played with sticks. Participants will learn a variety of world rhythms, ranging from samba to urban styles.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Times and Dates:

10.30-11.45am and 1-2.15pm on

Weds 20th, Thurs 21st, Weds 27th, Thurs 28th April

Tickets: £7

Musical Theatre Workshops

An exciting day offering an introduction to musical theatre for participants aged 9-13yrs / 14-17yrs focusing on singing, drama,movement and group work.

Participants will learn about basic vocal technique, breathing, posture and movement and apply them to two well known scenes from popular music theatre.

Times and Dates:

Ages 9-13: 10am-4pm on Thurs 21st April

Ages 14-17: 10am-4pm on Thurs 28th April

Tickets: £15

Additional siblings £12.50

All workshops are held at The Sage Gateshead

Book for any two of the £7 workshops (Steel Pan Family Workshop, Musical Games Family Workshop or Boom Dang Family Workshop) on the same day and receive a discount. Please speak with our Ticket Office when booking.

For further information and to book your tickets, you can go in person to The Sage Gateshead’s Ticket Office or call 0191 443 4661.

For general information or to book other tickets, or visit our website at www.thesagegateshead.org – you can now select your seat for most concerts when you book online.

CoMusica is one of 21 Youth Music Action Zones in England and Wales, providing music-making activities with and for young people who might not otherwise have the opporutnity. CoMusica is managed and delivered by The Sage Gateshead through its Youth & Community Programme.

Did you know… concert attenders at The Sage Gateshead can travel to and from Gateshead Interchange by Metro absolutely free? Simply retain your concert ticket for inspection on the Metro (valid two hours prior to, and after, an event at The Sage Gateshead).

For directions and transport details please click here.

To ensure delivery to your inbox (not junk folders), please add ‘online@thesagegateshead.org’ to your address book or safe list.

Photo Credits: Sunderland Echo, Dan Brady and Tony Griffiths.

The Sage Gateshead (North Music Trust)

St. Mary’s Square, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE8 2JR

It is now time to book your places for the North East You’re Welcome Celebration Event on 13^th April 2011 (11am – 4pm) Wynyard Park.

Places for the event are Free and are limited to 150 for the entire region, so please book yours without delay, it only takes a couple of minutes using the link below.

The aim of the event is to bring together health professionals, participation workers and young people from the services that have been awarded You’re Welcome status in the North East and also to invite other interested services to come along and be inspired.

This event will enable you to celebrate success (services that have recently been accredited will receive certification for their achievements) and to share best practice and present leaning via a series of service and young people led workshops. As well as providing an opportunity to celebrate achievements the event will also focus on ways in which services can take forward and be supported in achieving the You’re Welcome standard in the future.

The key message of the day will be around promoting the benefits of youth participation and engagement for services, staff and young people and the event is going to be hosted by young people from the region who have been involved in You’re Welcome.

Please see the link below for the electronic registration form for the You’re Welcome Celebration Event on 13th April 2011.

http://www.eventelephant.com/yourewelcomecelebrationevent

We are publicising this event to a wider audience but will ensure wherever possible that the organisations that have achieved YW within the NE will be allocated places.

However if your service is currently working towards You’re Welcome or you would like to be inspired about how you can engage and involve young people in your organisation then this conference is for you.

This event is now only 2 weeks away so please don’t delay. Please secure Wednesday 13 April 2011 in your diaries.

We look forward to seeing you on the day and more information can be found in upcoming events.

Have your say…

… on how well the Government respects the rights of disabled children and young people.
Disability Rights Watch UK is a project of the United Kingdom Disabled Peoples’ Council (UKDPC). The project aims to ensure that disabled people are fully involved in monitoring the UK Government’s implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

UKDPC wants to hear about the views and experiences of disabled children and young people as part of this process. The evidence will be used to highlight where the UK Government needs to make changes to law, policy and practice in order to fully comply with the CRPD. It will also contribute to a report being sent to the UN Disability Monitoring Committee outlining where the UK is failing to meet its obligations under the Convention.

You can make submissions through the Disability Rights Watch UK website.

Education Select Committee launches online forum

The Education Select Committee has launched an online discussion with young people as part of its enquiry into services into young people. The Committee wants to hear from young people aged 13-25 on a range of subjects including what out of school activities they participate in, whether they volunteer, their views on summer programmes for 16 year-olds and how they would spend the budget in their local area.

Children and young people can submit their views on The Student Room website.

The Company Brake are currently trying to publicise our annual national event, Road Safety Week, the theme of which this year is “Too Young To Die.”
The message behind the theme is that road deaths are sudden, violent events that rip apart families by tragically taking lives too soon. They want lots of young people to become involved in Road Safety Week this year, and are contacting youth organisations specifically to see if they are interested in this or in other youth projects we run.
During Road Safety Week, Brake will be running some events specifically around the theme of fatal and serious crashes caused by teenage drivers and often resulting in young deaths and disability.
Inexperience behind the wheel, coupled with the tendency of many young drivers, particularly young males, to take big risks, all too often results in tragedy. Our research has shown that young drivers are more likely to speed, use their phone while driving, and to drink or drug drive. In Great Britain in 2009, drivers of cars or motorbikes aged under 25 were involved in 88 casualties a day.
In the same year, 11 young people were killed and 125 more were seriously injured on roads every week in Great Britain.
If you are at all interested as a youth organisation in Road Safety Week, or the wider work that Brake does, could you please contact Stephanie Dibble.
Brake the road safety charity www.brake.org.uk
www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk
www.2young2die.org.uk

Urban Games Roadshow

Saturday 26th March, 12-5pm, Westgate Community College – Free Entry

The event is aimed at young people age ten years and older living/working/studying in Newcastle and the programme will include workshops in dance and music, urban sports with a mobile skateramp for skateboarding, Scooting and BMXing (bring your own).
There will also be food and entertainment.

Call for examples of best practice regarding the

impact of culture and the arts on health

in the North East

Association of North East Councils, with the Econonmy, Culture and Environment advisory group to public health north east, are looking for examples of best practice regarding the impact of culture and the arts on health in the North East.  If your organisation has had successful services in the arts and culture, aiming to improve health (in its widest sense)- then this is an opportunity to influence how this kind of work is undertaken in the future.  Given that public health funding will be through local authority health and wellbeing boards in the future, rather than PCTs- sharing what the voluntary sector can do with new policy makers is timely.

Contact alison.jane@northeastcouncils.gov.uk with your examples and please copy jo.whaley@vonne.org.uk

Youth Music ‘Power Play’ Programme

Youth Music is seeking a youth sector organisation
willing to develop and host a Youth Music  ‘Power Play’ project.
The ‘Power Play’  programme supports music making
projects which benefit young people living in ‘challenging places’.  Key
features of the programme are:  a focus on a geographically small, tightly
defined location, an emphasis on delivery through partnership working,
good pastoral support and care for the young people involved,
inclusion of youth participation and leadership, and opportunities to
develop musical skills.
The ‘Power Play’ programme has supported projects in Middlesbrough, Ashington, Sunderland and Newcastle.  Projects can be of up to 2 years duration, and the fund can provide financial support of c £26,000.
If you feel your organisation could host such a project, and have the partnership links in place to help make it happen, then please contact Gwyneth Lamb,  Youth Music’s Regional Executive Officer, before the end  of march : 07738990350 gwyneth.lamb@youthmusic.org.uk, www.youthmusic.org.uk

Big Jump Parachute

Date: 31st March
Venue: The Sage, Gateshead
Time: 11.45 (lunch included) – 5pm

The Event:
The Big Jump brings together leading Social Entrepreneurs to provide critical answers for those contemplating the transition from public and third sector organisations to Social Enterprise.  It will serve as a catalyst event which will signpost, inform and raise awareness of what Social Enterprise is, how it works and how to build it.

Presenting the event will be Linda Rutter of Social Enterprise North East.  Linda is a leading figure in SE development in the North East, with 20 years in community economic development Linda will steer us towards a deeper understanding of the issues affecting SE and what is needed to support the sector’s growth in the North East.

Speakers:
Kate Welch OBE of Acumen, will share her international experiences of Social Enterprise, providing key insights into the qualities, attitudes and actions which make Social Enterprises work.

Gary Stott, Managing Director of CREATE, winner of the Big Society and the SE ‘Trail Blazing Newcomer’ awards, will be sharing with us the journey of CREATE and the development of its highly successful social business model.
Herb Kim is chief executive of Gateshead-based digital media innovator Codeworks and founder and director of north-east England’s annual Thinking Digital conference.  Herb will give us his insights into the power of social networking and the impact this will have upon the future of social enterprise.
The Big Questions: Claire Maxwell, RSA Fellow and Director of Oasis School of Human Relations will facilitate a panel discussion on the Big Questions surrounding the challenges and future of Social Enterprise.  To contribute to the debate join our Facebook page North East RSA Fellows.
Workshops:
A – Making the Transition – for people from public and third sectors contemplating the transition to SE. Led by Geof Cox, specialist in organisational change and restructuring.

B  -  Funding to Finance – for those who wish to know more about sustainable funding models.  Led by Dave Cox of Humantics CIC, with John Probert of CapitaliSE.

C – The future of social enterprise – this workshop is for social entrepreneurs, those working in economic development people, SE support organisations and consultants who need to examine their offer and support in light of what the future may hold for SE.

D – Going it Alone – this workshop is for people who wish to explore alternative forms of self employment, they will discover the how to identify and use their strengths for their strengths for their future.  Led by Claire Maxwell, Director of Oasis School of Human Relations.
The Big Jump is a free event, co-funded by the Institute of Digital Innovation and the RSA Catalyst Fund, created for Fellows to work together to achieve an enlightened society of inspired, resourceful and fulfilled people.
WHO should attend:

• Social Entrepreneurs – at all levels of development
• Social Enterprise Support Agencies / Individuals / Consultants
• Public Sector Workers managing redundancy
• Public Sector Workers facing redundancy
• Third Sector Workers and Volunteers seeking ways to make their activity sustainable
• Those involved and interested in North East economic development and regeneration

How to Register:

If you wish to register now or want to find out more contact carmen.thompson@tees.ac.uk.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue – Prince’s Trust Team Programme

They are currently recruiting for our next team due to start on Monday 9th May 2011, Calling all 16-18 year old’s. Summer’s nearly here, looking for a new Start, Bored, looking for something to do and want a new challenge. It’s that time again when we are recruiting for our next 12 week programme that is starting on Monday 9th May. If you know anyone that would benefit from the 12 week programme or would like further information please contact us. See below. Please can you forward this to others in your organisation to make them aware? If you are not able to attend the open days contact them to may a prior appointment here at the fire station or they can come and visit you.

There are 2 open days planned at Gosforth Community Fire Station, Jubilee Road, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 3EU
Tuesday 19th April 2011 – 10:00am till 3.00pm
Wednesday 4th May 2011 – 10:00am till 3.00pm

If you are interested do not hesitate to get in touch straight away and an appointment can be arranged to see you.

The 12 Week Team Programme is a personal development programme for 16-25 year olds who are unemployed, not sure what career path they want to take, are wanting a change in life or just want to meet new people and have a good time.
Travel expenses will be paid for each day they attend the course
The course is broken down into several units in which team members will take part in a team building residential, community project, work placement, final team challenge, fundraising and final presentation.

Team members will also achieve:

• City & Guilds Certificate in Personal Development & Contributing to the community.
• Wider Key Skills in Problem Solving, working with others, improving on your own learning & performance.
• Heart Start First Aid
• Drug & Alcohol awareness certificate
• Sexual Health Training certificate
• Fire Safety awareness Certificate

Sound Interesting? Come along to find out what they can offer. If you are interested give them a ring and they can arrange an appointment to see you.

One day Free Training Course – Engaging BME Communities in the Progress Project
The purpose of this training is to extend the roll out of the Progress Project to Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities in the North East.  The purpose of the Progress Project is to build workforce capacity by enhancing the skills and training of those working with young people in the voluntary and community sector.
Aims of the day:

To examine the challenges and issues, involved in collaborative working, between BME and mainstream VCOs.

To identify practical strategies for developing greater co-working between the two sectors.

To identify strategies and opportunities for increasing the engagement of BME communities in Progress.

BME training flyer

Free Training Course, Engaging with Muslim Young People

The course will explore:-

Reaching out and connecting with Muslim young people and Muslim organisations;

• What issues and barriers there are to Muslim young people accessing youth provision
• Strategies to overcome these barriers
• How to develop effective partnership and working relationships with Muslim organisations
• The dynamics around faith and culture for young Muslims (this has an impact on the way the perceive service providers)
  Book now

History of Youth and Community Conference –Friday 14 – Sunday 16 October 2011

The re-arranged History of Youth and Community Work Conference has now been confirmed for the Autumn and will be taking place at Northern College near Barnsley in South Yorkshire.

This conference, organised by the editorial board of Youth and Policy, is an opportunity to debate and discuss historical developments in youth and community work through an eclectic mix of plenary talks, workshops and special events.

At the heart of each conference are the workshops with over a third of delegates contributing, if you are planning to attend please do considering offering a workshop. Plenary speakers for this year’s conference include Gillian Darley (historian and author -Villages of Vision) and Nigel Todd (historian, author and adult educator – first 100 years of the Workers’ Education Association).

If you have any enquires please contact conferences@youthandpolicy.org or Book now.

RightSpace – National Event

Children and young people have human rights which are not always respected. Do you want an opportunity to find out how effectively promote children’s hum rights?

Do you invest in children and young people?

Are you looking to embed and develop the best policy and practice in this time of economic and political change?

Guest Speaker, Dr Maggie Atkinson, Children’s Commissioner for England.

Tuesday 9^th April @ 10am – 4pm, Sheffield City Centre

The Safe Network Safeguarding Standards have now been officially launched and are available on free of charge on our website www.safenetwork.org.uk.
They are holding an event in Newcastle on the 11th March to promote and identify the role of Champions for these standards and would welcome the opportunity to meet as many of our colleagues in the North East who may find this excellent resource useful in their role.
For more information please contact gill@childrenengland.org.uk

For those colleagues who have already booked on this event Gill will be sending final confirmation details by the end of this week.

Somewhere to talk, Somewhere to listen

Regional Youth Work Unit, along with Clubs for Young People and Northumberland Clubs for Young People, launch a new consultation event targeted at 11 – 25 year olds who attend youth clubs and projects.

Activities on the day will relate to emotional well-being; with workshops from Smoothie Bikes and how to do Aromatherapy Indian head massage. Buffet Lunch is included so come along and have you’re say!
Sign up online at http://www.eventelephant.com/somewheretotalksomewheretolisten or contact Claire Troman on claire@rywu.org.uk

The Truth About Youth Quality Mark has been designed and developed by young people in Tyne and Wear to support organizations that promote a positive image of young people. To apply please contact laura@rywu.org.uk or visit www.truthaboutyouth.org.uk