Tag: youth

Sun shines on MY’s Youthwork Games

Good luck to all the participants who will be taking part in the Youth Games over the next two days. The story:

Following the enormous success of My Adventure’s  first ‘Youthwork Games’ inspired by the 2012 London Games, we are proud to announce that we will be hosting the games on 24th and 25th July 2013. These games are targeted at youth projects to encourage young people not engaged in mainstream sporting activities to compete in a series of outdoor adventure sports and challenges.Activites will include:

  • Mountain Bike

  • Cross Country Run

  • Long Jump

  • Tree Climb

  • Assault Course

  • Archery

  • Swamp Soccer

  • Tug of War

  • Canoe & Swim

Muddy photo

Foggy crowd

 Contact jonny@myadventure.org.uk for more information

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YOUth decide in Inverleith!

YOUth Decide!

The next meeting of Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership, which takes place at 1.30pm on Friday (14 June) at Broughton High School, will be focused on the young people of Inverleith.

Anyone living in Inverleith aged under 18 years is invited to send us your thoughts on small projects that might improve the neighbourhood for young people, and those present will vote on favourites. The NP will then look at ways of finding the resources or funding to make it happen!

Please send us your ideas and come along on the day to cast your vote. The day will also include entertainment from pupils and information stalls.

Download proposal form and guidance or complete online form here 

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MYadventure: Cyclone update

New taster video of Bike Track at Gypsy Brae http://youtu.be/S8gMmqz6Yng worth a watch  (better with sound)

Volunteer Days coming up at Gypsy Brae:

Monday 10 June  – 9am – 5pm – TOMORROW !!!

Monday 17 June – 9am – 5pm

Launch Saturday 22 June 1-4pm

Races,  refreshments, side stalls

Jonny Kinross

Social Enterprise Manager  www.myadventure.org.uk

Office: 0131 332  7132 Direct: 0131 208 3321 

M: 07794 467 351 F: 0871  528 4830

MYDGadventure

 

Young Muirhouse artists show a lot of bottle!

Zoo Arts, a creative  project led by artist Alice Betts based at North Edinburgh Arts, will be installing  another piece of exciting contemporary public art in Muirhouse Shopping Centre  on Wednesday (15 May) at 5pm.  

Light will shine  through recycled plastic bottles filled with coloured water turning a grey space  into a playful symphony of colour. This eyecatching piece of work has been  created by local young people who have participated in creative  outreach sessions supported by Muirhouse Library and Muirhouse Youth  Development Group. 

Zoo Arts aims to  encourage and support young people to develop their contemporary art skills,  install temporary public art and undertake professional art commissions. The  project works with local young people (9 – 14 years) who have an interest in  visual art and are keen to develop their creativity. This project hopes to  inspire future creative collaborations, locally and city-wide. 

For more information  go to  www.northedinburgharts.co.uk or to dicuss the project further contact Angela Austin on 315 2151, email marketing@northedinburgharts.co.uk

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To boldy go: search is on for young innovators

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The Science Festival may be over, but the search for the innovators of tomorrow has only just begun …

Edinburgh International Science Festival celebrated 25 years of introducing audiences of all ages to innovative and entertaining science this Easter and marked the occasion with a diverse programme of over 200 events. Over 90,000 visitors enjoyed a family programme packed with sensational science together with world-renowned scientists looking forward to the next quarter century and exploring the future of our lives, our cities, our food, our play, our medicine, our challenges and our world.

With the Festival over for this year, the Science Festival continues to look to the future and has now announced Fuselab – an exciting new project looking for the young innovators of tomorrow.

Supported by the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, Fuselab is an immersive ‘out of this world’ experience which will take place at Edinburgh’s Summerhall in July 2013. The Science Festival is seeking 80 innovative and creative minds aged between 16 and 20 to plan the future in a hypothetical, as yet uninhabited, world. Fuselab pioneers will be challenged to develop innovative approaches to a sustainable way of life, free from the constraints of the systems and structures currently utilised on here on Earth. In the process, they will learn how to challenge their thinking through workshops, skills sessions, talks and games; collaborating to design, prototype and test ideas.

Applications for Fuselab are now open, and 16 – 20 year old innovators are invited to apply through http://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/whats-on/fuselab before Wednesday 8 May 2013.

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Amanda Tyndall, Deputy Director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival, said “We need to equip young people with the skills, networks and confidence not only to survive but to thrive in a rapidly changing world. In helping our Pioneers see how innovation can help build a better future, and to understand the role that they personally might play, Fuselab will do just that – helping unleash the potential of the next generation. “

Scottish Government Minister, Humza Yousaf, said “For a quarter of a century, the Edinburgh International Science Festival has informed, engaged and challenged the minds of visitors from Scotland and around the world, building on our strengths as a creative and innovative nation, from the enlightenment to the Higgs boson. This year’s excellent programme of events was no exception.

“It makes strong economic sense to support the Science Festival’s growth and to ensure that Scotland’s own emerging creative talent is placed at its centre. That is why I am proud to announce £110,000 to support young people to develop their skills and expertise here in Scotland through the Fuselab project. This takes the total Scottish Government Expo Funding awarded to the Science Festival to £562,000 since the Expo Fund began in 2008/09.”

Fuselab participants can draw upon the content of some of the sessions at the 2013 Science Festival for inspiration, which included Professor Dickson Despommier speaking on the future of vertical farming, Bas Lansdorp who invited his audience to apply to be the first new colonists on Mars in 2023, and Professor Mark Post who reported on the progress of his research to use stem cells to grow meat in the laboratory. Three previous winners of the prestigious Edinburgh Medal, Chris Rapley, Colin Blakemore and Jocelyn Bell Burnell looked into the future and explored their dangerous ideas and the future of astronomy while the 25th Edinburgh Medal was awarded jointly, for the first time in its history, to Professor Peter Higgs and CERN.

Dr Simon Gage, Director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival, said “The 25th Science Festival has been packed with world renowned speakers, innovative and exciting science and some ‘out of this world’ ideas. While we may not have found all the answers to the challenges we will face in the next 25 years, we have certainly had great fun exploring our future and some of the solutions that are being proposed, from eating insects and laboratory grown meat, to colonising Mars and personalising our medicine.”

The 25th Edinburgh International Science Festival finished with Scotland’s first Mini Maker Faire held at Summerhall where over 50 makers, enthusiasts, geeks, tinkerers, engineers and artists from across the Scottish maker community and beyond showed off their work to a fascinated audience of over 3,000 people. From cutting edge technologies to time honoured crafts, this family-friendly showcase was the perfect opportunity to converge and celebrate ingenuity, invention and resourcefulness.

The Fuselab programme is a fully immersive four day experience with a maximum of 40 participants per session from the UK and beyond. Fuselab 1 runs from 1 – 5 July, while Fuselab 2 runs from 5 – 9 July and applications for both sessions are open from today, Monday 8 April to May 8. Fuselab is completely free of charge with meals and accommodation provided. To apply visit: http://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/whats-on/fuselab

The 2014 Edinburgh International Science Festival will run from Saturday 5 to Sunday 20 April. Full details of the programme will be announced in February 2014 and details can be found at www.sciencefestival.co.uk.

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Holyrood Bill will support families

Charities have welcomed news that three and four year old children will, for the first time in Scotland, be entitled to 600 hours of funded early learning and childcare through the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill, published today. Third sector organisations will also receive an additional £10 million.

The Bill proposes a range of measures which also include:

  • Looked after two year olds and those with a kinship care order will receive the same entitlement as three and four year olds
  • A named person for every child and young person from birth to safeguard and support their wellbeing, working with other bodies as required
  • Providing kinship carers with more support from local authorities to increase family stability.

AileenCampbell

Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell (pictured above) also announced an extra £10 million on top of the £20 million third sector fund to be shared between 45 organisations working closely with children, young people and families, as part of wider investment in prevention and early intervention. This lifts the total budget for the fund to £30 million over two years, an increase on the funding available over the previous two years.

Ms Campbell said: “There is excellent work being done across Scotland to support parents, carers, children and young people. This Bill will improve levels of care and support to children and families across the country through an increase in free and more flexible early learning and childcare from 475 to 600 hours, as well as more joined up services to support the wellbeing of all children and young people through a named person. Further measures will also add stability to kinship care arrangements. The level of investment the Scottish Government is putting into ensuring the Bill works for Scotland’s young people also demonstrates our commitment to investing in our children from the very start.

“We must also recognise the important role of the third sector in reaching out to families and children in inventive and inspirational ways, which is why I am providing an additional £10 million on top of the Third Sector Early Intervention Fund for groups working directly with children, young people and their families. The £20 million Third Sector Early Intervention Fund captured the imagination of many key organisations that work with children and young people. This additional funding means that even more organisations will be able to work with the Scottish Government and each other, as they continue to improve the lives of Scotland’s children, young people and their families.

“Together with the publication of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill, today is the biggest step forward so far on the path towards making Scotland the best place in the world to grow up.”

kid1Anne Houston, Chief Executive of CHILDREN 1ST, said: “The Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill has a key role to play in achieving the Scottish Government’s ambition of making Scotland the best place for children to grow up. For CHILDREN 1ST, that means a place where every child and young person has a happy, healthy, safe and secure childhood. We support the Bill’s intentions and must all now maximise the opportunity before us to achieve the Scottish Government’s vision.

“We are heartened by the proposals to provide 600 hours of flexible early learning and childcare for children in kinship care aged two and to provide a statutory definition of well-being.”

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “Barnardo’s Scotland is pleased to see the introduction of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill in Parliament. This Bill will be an important step forward in improving the lives of Scotland’s most vulnerable children and young people. We are particularly pleased to see more support for those young people leaving care, many of whom are not getting the help they need to make a successful transition into adulthood.

“We are looking forward to scrutinising the Bill and working with the Scottish Parliament to ensure that it delivers on the Scottish Government’s aim to make Scotland the best place in the world to bring up children.”

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A 12 week consultation on the Bill was launched in July 2012 and was accompanied by extensive stakeholder communication, including national engagement events with over 800 stakeholders and activities with nearly 2,400 children and young people.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill will also increase the powers of Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People as well as improving support for kinship carers, families and care leavers

Provisions relating to a ‘named person’ will:

  •  Place a duty on NHS Boards to allocate every child with a named person from birth to school age
  • Place a duty on local authorities to allocate every child with a named person until they are 18 or leave school, whichever is later.
  • Oblige all relevant authorities to share information with the named person if it is necessary to safeguard, support and promote the wellbeing of the child.

The £10 million will go towards Strategic Funding Partnerships for children and youth organisations.

The Third Sector Early Intervention Fund is managed by the BIG Lottery on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Calling young people in Pilton – more interviewees needed!

Are you aged 16 – 20 and live in Pilton? If so, would you be willing to share your experiences of growing up in the area?

You may recall the appeal we ran for interviewees to help with research last month? Well, that appeal was a success, but more interviewees are now needed. Eric Carlin is carrying out research for a PhD and wants to talk to local young people – all interviews will take place locally, are totally confidential and a small fee will be paid.

Eric said: “You very kindly helped me some time ago when I was starting my fieldwork with young people in Pilton and I’ve now had some really good interviews with twenty young people. I thought that would be enough but I now think I need another six or so.”

If you’d like to take part in the research, you con contact Eric by email at ecarli01@mail.bbk.ac.uk or call 0750 508 1784.

See the attached flyer for more information:

Pilton flyers for youth interview recruitment, February 2013

Vicki says goodbye to Granton

Vicki Ridley is to leave Granton Youth Centre. Vicki, who has managed the youth centre since 2003, is taking up a new post with Canongate Youth Project.

Granton Youth Centre opened on West Granton Road in 2003 in a building shared with the Pilton Partnership. The new Centre did not have the most successful of starts, however, and it was only with the arrival of Vicki as new manager that the Centre started to live up to it’s potential.

Ten years on, under Vicki’s drive and leadership, Granton Youth Centre has gone from strength to strength: constantly building and developing to offer a comprehensive range of services in a programme that’s always been planned with, and centred around, the needs and requirements of the young people themselves.

Vicki said: “Ten years is a long time to be involved in any organisation, and it’s certainly the longest that I’ve been involved with an organisation.  Granton Youth Centre has been an amazing place to work, often challenging, but never a dull moment and occasionally loads of fun! I have lots of fond memories to take away with me, and I have met some truly amazing people whose courage and resilience, kindness and positivity have blown me away, and kept me, the service and everyone else at GYC going when things got tough.

“Although the choppy waters of local community politics don’t always help with plain sailing, some of the partnerships, networks and local organisations we have worked with have been really valuable.  I hope young people throughout Forth continue to benefit from a range and diversity of provision which meets their needs, and that all the organisations in the area have a sustainable and prosperous future.

“It’s great to see how GYC has become a viable and valued resource for young people where once there was none.  My favourite memories are largely concerning situations where young people do well – they receive certificates, awards, or make a small/medium/large breakthrough.  My least favourite memories will be collated and written up in small novella format for publication at a later date!

I look forward to working with friends and colleagues in my new role as Manager of Canongate Youth Project.”

When advertising for a replacement, Granton Youth Centre’s voluntary Board of Management said they were seeking ‘an exceptional candidate to lead our organisation and take our plans forward’. Interviews take place this month, but Vicki will indeed be a hard act to follow.

Young People’s Forum to stage ‘barrie’ event!

North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum (NEYPF) is holding an event to celebrate the success of their ‘Barrie, Radge and Mingin’’ project next week. The event will also provide an opportunity for young people to decide their next project.

‘Barrie, Radge and Mingin’’ was a collaborative project centred around young people’s views on their local environment – the ‘clean, green and safe’ agenda. Among the highlights of the project was a drama produced with young people from Liverpool’s Collective Encounters theatre group, staged at North Edinburgh Arts Centre in September 2009 (pictured). Next week’s event gives the young people involved the opportunity to share their findings, talk about the highs and the lows and participants will also put forward ideas for what NEYPF should do next.

Danielle Ward, NEYPF’s treasurer and support worker, said: ‘Barrie, Radge ‘n’ Mingin’ in the council means clean, green and safe. Basically what we’ve done is gone around the area taking photos and talking to people, working in groups to develop a general generative themes strategy within these three areas. What people find good about the area, what needs changed and what could do with just a wee re-paint or that. Next week’s event will highlight how we have achieved this. For our future project, each individual young person will have a stall with what they think our next project should be and everyone that attends shall get two votes to choose the project we should do next”.

The NEYPF event takes place at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre on Tuesday 3 April from 4.30 – 7pm. And you don’t have to be a young person to attend!