Money 4 Youth Projects
| Published: 22nd June 2008 20:15 |
Money 4 Youth Projects - Things to do in Northampton
Information below tells you about some of the projects that have been funded for young people. Projects start and last for 
varying periods of time. Where appropriate we've also given you the contact details of project leaders. You can also find out how to book the mobile skate/BMX track, hire the portable stage, PA equipment and sports equipment for use in the community.
Projects began to happen in February 2007. By October 2007 more than 2,300 young people plus lots of older people and children had taken up the chance to get involved with these.
Projects and Equipment in 2008 include:
Venice Festival Bridge and Gondola Lanterns project for 19s and under in Spring Boroughs, Castle and the town centre. Specialist carnival artists from Festival Road are working with Northampton Borough Council. Around 80 young people and children from different schools and cultural backgrounds are building bridges and a gondola which can be lanterns and carried in procession at the 26th April 2008 Market Square launch of Northampton Museum's Venice Festival, then on 14th June in Northampton Carnival procession and hopefully at other events too including 25th October 2008 Diwali festival of lights procession. Places are currently available for young people aged 8yrs to 19yrs to take part in a workshop on Sat 29th March - you also need to be available to process the bridge you help build on 26th April. If you're interested to find out more please contact Lindsey Ambrose tel: 01604 837566 or 0779 53 33 687 or email: lambrose@northampton.gov.uk Places are limited so need to be booked in advance.
Raising Aspirations:
an event has been held initially for 400 young people from across Northampton, taking place in Northampton East, led by Northampton Excellence Cluster working with young people. This involved open theatre and reflection on the letter Danielle a teenager from Northampton East sent to Youth Forum about the need for young people to feel more confident about knowing about things to do, places to go and having more hope for their futures. Young people have been thinking about how they can influence the direction of their lives so as to get more out of life, better life chances etc and learning some tips and tricks to success. The event is due to be followed by further youth-led activity in coming months to help young people and their families too.
Carnival Weekend in June -
Things to get involved with in advance, on the day and a chance to find out about what's on for children and young people in Northampton. Opportunities include learning circus skills and dance. There will be an information point manned by young people on the Carnival weekend alongside young people showing off their skills in dance etc for the hundreds of people coming along to enjoy chill out and performances in the Market Square. Exact programme is being worked out. For more information contact Northampton Carnival Arts Consortium. Email: myroach@northampton.gov.uk
Summer holidays
New and free sports activities for hundreds of young people in Northampton: this project aims to bring some new fun things to do to Northampton - some to be available at NBC Leisure Centres, others out in the community. The project should include the purchase of sports equipment that can be borrowed by people in the community to use at times and places they want indoors and outdoors during the year. Also, a new sports development youth advisory group is being set up, to help ensure that sports development activity for young people is done taking account of what young people want. It's hoped to link this to the county youth sport forum so as to help ensure planned activities complement one another and to help with communicating about what's available to young people.
Christmas time
- an ice rink with snow machine for hundreds of young people and children to use in the town centre free plus other activities to try out too e.g. circus skills and entertainment by steel pans. Maybe more too. This should take place for a few days during the school holidays and looks to build on the success of the ice rink in Christmas 2007 but being bigger and better with more to do this year. Related to this some young people should also be working with NBC to choose the town's Christmas lights.
Anne Frank Festival
involving thousands of young people in Northampton and county including support not just from Money 4 Youth but also from various district councils, County Council and especially its education service, theatres and Northants Police. There will be opportunities from summer 2008 for young people to be involved - interviewing local people, training as tour guides, getting involved in drama and arts activities. With lots more happening in spring 2009.
Hyperplay for a hundred or more young people from Northampton and county, possibly also involving some young people overseas too.
This project will be based in Northampton and will particularly look to involve looked after young people and carers as well as other young people. They will collaboratively write and perform short plays, working with professional writers and supported by Royal and Derngate Theatre. A chance to get involved in cutting edge theatre. Among other themes the project will aim to use the stories of survivors of different experiences to link to the Anne Frank Festival. The project will end with a celebration event and special performance of young people's work in Northampton.
Improvements to the MUGA at Blacky More - working with Wootton and East Hunsbury Parish Council to improve the fencing and flooring with multiple games marked out so that young people, children and others, can play a variety of games safely at the site. Work is due to be completed by the summer.
Tapestry project about the history of the deaf community in Northamptonshire and organised by young deaf and deaf-blind young people.
Led by Talking With Hands Cinema. The project also hopes to produce an accessible DVD animation about the project which can be shared with children, young people, community groups and professionals to help raise understanding of the needs to be accessible in society by looking at the experience of the deaf community in Northampton and county. It is hoped that the project will help people of all abilities, cultures etc to understand how to communicate in ways that are inclusive so that people of all abilities can participate together. For more information please contact Rose Ann O'Malley MBE at Talking With Hands tel: 01604 702422 or text: 07742146326 or email: talkinghands_cinema@hotmail.com
Healthy Eating on a Budget and Learning Through Art
- Young Mums. Led by young mums from the Young Women's Centre (YWCA) in Castilian Terrace, this project includes peer-mentoring with young mums able to share their experiences and recipe ideas with new young mums. Also putting together an information resources to share ideas with others. The project is open to young mums from across Northampton. Sessions may be in town centre or other locations. Travel expenses to sessions will be paid. For more information please contact Kathryn White at YWCA tel: 01604 601515 or 07718964404 or email: kathryn.white@ywca.org.uk
Bollywood and Bhangra Dance Activity for all.
Happening now with sessions at "The Barn" (Lodge Farm Community Centre) this project offers the opportunity for young people and children of all backgrounds to come and join in this exciting form of dance. No experience required. Some intergenerational opportunities too. This is a chance to try out something new as much as a chance for more experienced dancers to work together. Other locations may be booked for future sessions depending on demand. For more information contact Seema tel: 0788 6627 459 or email: seema289@hotmail.com
Passion and Noise.
A project looking to involve about 150 young people in activities to share skills and enjoy music, going out into the community to do things to help other people. The project includes faith as part of activities. Events will be based in various churches around town and open to all. Project is being led by Pete White of St Giles Church, involving NAYC and other churches. For more information please contact Pete White tel: 01604 230360.
Autumn workshops
linking Diwali and Christmas activities with lots of fun for all These workshops should be good fun, whatever your cultural background. They lead up to the chance to take part in the Diwali Festival of Lights Procession which is open to all to join in. It's hoped to work with people from all across Northampton from lots of different backgrounds.
Steel Pan Explorers
- learn to play the steel pans, available to perform at your event or hold taster sessions. Sessions were held for up to 35 young people particularly from Abington and Thorplands in March 2007 at NACO, 117-121 Kettering Road, Northampton. Led by Northampton Carnival Arts Consortium. They've entertained for thousands of people now! Young people taking part in the project won the Northampton Carnival 2nd prize for their float and performance in 2007.
They opened the Youth Festival, performing in the bandstand.
Their tutor Cliff provided lessons for the public at Duston Day in the Park. They've also entertained at Bangladeshi community celebrations and played Christmas carols in the Market Square as just some of their engagements so far.
If you want to join them, book for them to play or provide taster sessions at your event too please contact NCAC on 01604 236206 or email: myroach@northamptonshire.gov.uk
Community Minibus
Purchased in March 2008 the first will be owned by Northampton Carnival Arts Consortium, for the use of the Steel Pan Explorers (to help them meet all the demand for performing and providing taster sessions to community groups and events) and also to help other community groups. A second is due to be part-funded out of Money 4 Youth and to be bought later in the year by IHWO for use mostly in Northampton East.
Mobile Skate and BMX Track
Now with BMX bikes and inline skates as well as skateboards: find out where it is going to be around Northampton and county or book it for your community event. Often available with YMCA mobile youth centre too.
It is supervised by trained young people and adults at all times. It's been to Duston, Abington, Russell House, Balloon Festival, the Market Square, Towcester and Wellingborough to name just a few places. It has ramps that can be adjusted to meet the needs of different ages and abilities.
Young people using and supervising it put their experience towards Northampton Voluntary Youth Action (formerly known as Millennium Volunteers) awards and Community Sports Leadership awards. BMX bikes and trailer being purchased in March 2008. So far over 1,000 young people and children have used it.
For more information please contact the YMCA tel: 01604 642104.
Portable stage and portable PA equipment available for community events
The Youth Forum want to make it easier to put on community events for young people and the wider community too. So this equipment is available to community groups. You may have seen it being used on the Market Square or at the Youth Festival. Look out for it at the Umbrella Fair in September too!
If you're interested in booking it for your event please contact Lindsey Ambrose tel: 01604 837566 or 0779 53 33 687 or email: lambrose@northampton.gov.uk
Video kiosk -
Youth Forum has purchased this to help young people, and others too, to give their views and take part in surveys without having to be good at writing. The kiosk can play short films, allow for on-screen responses and capture audio and video comments. It can also be programmed to allow typed responses. If you would like to book it for your event please contact Lindsey Ambrose at Northampton Borough Council tel: 01604 837566 or 0779 53 33 687 or email: lambrose@northampton.gov.uk .
If you would like to find out more about the Money 4 Youth scheme please contact Lindsey Ambrose, tel: 01604 837566 or email: lambrose@northampton.gov.uk.
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