Getting more young people involved in their communities
Over 60 young people aged 7ā"19 from the two areas used an innovative research technique called āemotimappingā to tell the county council how they feel about the area in which they live. They went out āon locationā to film and interview one another talking about these places and what they thought could be done to improve them.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Councillors have agreed extra funding for various projects including one involving children and young people from Peacehaven and the Hollington area of St Leonards.
Over 60 young people aged 7ā19 from the two areas used an innovative research technique called āemotimappingā to tell the county council how they feel about the area in which they live. They went out āon locationā to film and interview one another talking about these places and what they thought could be done to improve them.
The young people involved stressed they wanted more things to do and places to go. They also had lots of ideas about how to improve their local areas, including tackling problems like vandalism, graffiti, litter and anti-social behaviour.
Some of the cash agreed by councillors will fund projects in Hollington and Peacehaven to help tackle some of the problems the young people identified including holding an āOperation Clean Sweepā which would get local people and organisations working together to clean up some of their community hotspots. The rest will be used to roll the project out to other parts of the county.
Cllr Meg Stroude, Lead Cabinet Member for Children and Families said: āThis was an excellent, innovative way for us to engage with young people and a large number of young people were involved in the project. I am delighted we can agree this funding not only to help tackle some of the issues they raised in Peacehaven and Hollington but also to take forward the initiative to some other areas.ā
The funds have been agreed as part of a wider Ā£420,000 package for various one-off projects involving young people. In turn they are part of a Ā£3m additional funding package agreed by Council on 20 February and are on top of the overall budget plan of Ā£295m.
Anyone who lives or works in Peacehaven or Hollington who would like to get involved in the project should in the first instance contact Brendan McGowan, Youth Participation Manager at East Sussex County Council on 01273 476185.
Notes to editors By using āemotimapsā and making a film about their experiences, the young people have āmappedā their feelings about where they live and what can be done to improve things for young people growing up in the county. Emotimapping involves large scale maps and MSN Messenger-style āemoticonsā - expressing emotions such as āfeel safeā or āfeel scaredā - young people identified local places and described how they felt about them.
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