Two interesting reports were published this week. The first was one by the Campaign to End Child Poverty. They published new figures across the UK which showed that on average one in five children are classified as below the poverty line. Some areas the figure is closer to four in 10.
The other one was by a group of young researchers, aged 11-14, from across Wales highlighting the impact that living in poverty can have on a child’s education.
The report, Small Voice: Big Story, showed that poverty is a direct barrier to participation in activities at school, and also affects self-esteem, confidence and aspirations for the future.
How do we, as arts organisations, ensure that a generation of young people don’t fall through the net, and miss out on crucial activities that many of us take for granted?
Imagine if you’ve never been read a story, never written a poem, never acted in a play or never had a go at playing an instrument.
In times of brutal welfare cuts and increased unemployment, it’s more important than ever for art providers to mobilise and directly target those people who need us most: children and young people.
The Young People’s Laureate project was launched in November 2011 at the Literature Lounge, a month-long pop-up shop at St David’s Centre in Cardiff. Special guest Charlotte Church spoke eloquently on the importance of nurturing a love of literature in children, and introduced the novelist Catherine Fisher as the inaugural Laureate.
It was heartening to see a crowd of young people queuing patiently for an autograph – and not just from the world-famous singer.
The purpose behind the Young People’s Laureate project is to provide a creative forum for young people who would not otherwise have access to literature.
Catherine Fisher has worked with a team of other excellent writers, who together provided a programme of workshops, ranging from story-boarding and songwriting to the simple-yet-effective book club.
Two new projects have since been launched by the Young People’s Laureate, Eat My Words and Make Some Noise.
More than 100 young carers from eight local authorities have taken part in Make Some Noise workshops. The performance poet Sophie McKeand, for example, worked with members of the Flintshire Young Carers, who worked on poems which will be recorded on CDs. Here’s an excerpt from one of the works produced:
feeling happy and sad
sometimes it’s like I’m going mad
there’s a light – there’s a dark
I feel like there’s a mark
where I stop.
will someone just cuddle me?
The last two rhymes are particularly effective, and really hit home the experiences of the young people. In these workshops the young people have explored issues which affect them: what makes them angry, and what hopes they have for the future.
On March 6 we’re holding an event at Porthcawl Grand Pavilion called Words On Fire.
The event, which is free and open to the public, brings together the budding young writers from Cardiff (the Sprout), Swansea (Glynn Vivian Young People’s Project at the YMCA), Bridgend (Bridgend Young Carers) and Haverfordwest (Pembrokeshire Young Carers) to present recordings produced with musicians and writers during the workshops.
Building self-expression, confidence and communication is at the heart of these workshops, which give young people skills to progress in life and deal with obstacles that come their way.
These young voices have not just brought poetry off the page; they’ve set it alight.
For more information on the Young People’s Laureate, visit youngpeopleslaureate.org