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What was planned?

The project aimed to explore issues relating to the environment and the theme of citizenship; to broaden young people’s awareness and understanding of issues in the local community and how they relate to the wider world; to develop core skills of communication and ICT as well as to build confidence and self-esteem. It set out to involve practical research and produce practical outcomes of benefit to the young people, the schools and the local community. 

The partnership aimed to achieve a balance in the membership between those young people who needed a boost to their self-esteem and confidence or were under achieving, and a number who were already well motivated and might offer support to their peers. The schools involved are situated in the multi-cultural inner city area of Handsworth, Birmingham. The area has significant social, economic and environmental disadvantages. For many, English is a second language and a higher than average percentage have special needs.
 
What was done and when?

There were weekly after-school sessions with occasional Saturday visits. Phase One ran from the beginning of October 2000 until July 2001 and Phase Two from October 2001 to the end of the project in March 2002.

Each year's programme used the Autumn term to establish the identity and cohesion of the group and to ensure the 'ownership' of the project by the children. They were encouraged to focus on the environmental issues which most concerned them. In the following school terms they researched these issues. ICT skills were continuously developed – for example accessing a local aerial photograph web site, gathering internet information about environmental issues, and recording their findings by word processor.

From a number of suggested themes, the group in the first year focused their selection on five principal issues that they could learn about and take action on. These were homelessness in Birmingham, safer streets, parks and playing spaces, waste and recycling, and allotments. A similar introductory pattern was followed in Phase Two, augmented by a November session of practical mosaic design and making with a community artist, consolidating work begun with her the previous July by the preceding group. The second phase group identified the following issues to be explored: limiting pollution in factories and in the use of cars, having a say – local democracy, and living without fear of violence – safer streets.

Since the aim of the project was to involve the young people in direct action, visits and interviews were arranged with relevant senior community representatives pertinent to their enquiry e.g. Birmingham Council Officers, Police, and the Birmingham Ladywood constituency MP and Minister for State Clare Short.

The programmes were interspersed with visits to places of environmental interest – an RSPB centre, the Birmingham Canal courtesy of British Waterways, a local Eco-park – and one or two leisure trips to the cinema and ice rink. In the second phase of the project children made direct personal links writing to young people in the Gambia.  Some of the children were part of a group of Birmingham children meeting with Clare Short in her role of Minister of State for International Development to discuss issues of international concern. 

Among the practical outcomes were:

• Producing a mosaic and mural for the Birmingham Canal wharf with a community artist. Views expressed by the project were taken into account by the British Waterways Board.
• Displays of work and visits prompted significant interest from the City Council's Housing and Planning Departments, the Parks Management and Handsworth Park Association – all keen to take the views expressed by the children into account in their developments.
• Six members of the project group, among a group of young people from Handsworth schools, contributed to the wording of a Children’s Communique,  organised by Tide-DEC (Teachers in Development Education) to send to the World Summit  held in Johannesburg in September 2002.

Attendance and numbers held up well with some drop out because of reasons external to the project. 
 
What has the impact been?

In both internal and external evaluations the children placed 'learning' high on the list of things they most enjoyed about the project or saw as of most value to their school work.   

One of the teachers noted that participants developed an understanding of the impact of their behaviour on others and matured in their self-discipline. They respected the opinions of others and gained confidence in expressing their own opinions. They learned from working alongside adults in a partnership mode and practised social skills, for example in welcoming visitors to the project. Linguistic skills were enhanced by using language in a variety of real situations – questioning and answer skills, frequent discussion and oral presentations.   The children learned to act on their own initiative and to take responsibility for organisation.   For some the project was invaluable in boosting self-esteem and confidence.
 
What was learnt and what were the next steps?

The project development plan proposed specific pre-determined environmental topics. However, it became apparent that it was important to be flexible about these and involve the children and this was crucial to the success of the project. 

The project prompted the Centre to seek funding to make similar partnerships with schools sustainable in the longer term.