Supported by Northamptonshire Community Foundation, the Office of Northamptonshire Police and the Crime Commissioner, and BBC Children in Need, Screen Northants are running a social action project to work with young people to create a film to tackle one aspect of the exploitation of children and grooming.
We’re looking for Northants young people 12-18yrs (with an emphasis on Northampton residents) who fit our BBC Children in Need criteria (see below) to attend FREE workshops on Wednesdays 4.30–6.30pm at our shop in Northampton’s Grosvenor Centre from 8th May, plus 5 days filming in May half term (Mon 27th–Fri 31st May) 10am–5pm. After this we’ll have a few more workshops in June to work on a campaign to share the film. If your child doesn’t fit the criteria we’d still encourage you to get in touch as there may be other ways they can be involved.
We appreciate this is a difficult topic – all the workshops will be run sensitively and be appropriate to the ages/needs of individuals/the group. If there are young people who don’t feel able to take part in the workshops but want to have some input – and adults too – we will be having drop in sessions in May which people can attend to share their thoughts, or you can contact us via email, letter or social media. Maybe you want to tell us about films you’ve seen which are effective or don’t work, what you think the message needs to be to have an impact on young people, or maybe you’ve seen how young people are becoming victims of exploitation and want to share some experiences. We aren’t looking for experts – we want this film to be rooted in the real world so want to hear from local residents.
For the workshops, we’re looking for Northants young people who have an interest in Film and/or social action projects/helping improve the lives of other young people. The workshops aim to increase confidence, interpersonal skills, employability and local pride while learning about professional filmmaking. Your child will be an important part of the team.
Our BBC Children in Need criteria areas are:
- With a Special Educational Need or Learning difficulty/Disability
- Receive free school meals
- Living in poverty or struggling financially
- Live in a Deprived or Highly Deprived area – if you aren’t sure, send us your postcode and we can check for you
- A Looked-After Child (e.g. foster care) or in Troubled Families or struggling households
- Not in mainstream education either through exclusion or withdrawal due to bullying for example
- At risk of withdrawing/exclusion from mainstream education
- Have been involved negatively with the Police, even if not formally, or at risk of entering the Criminal Justice System (even if this is just at the stage where you are concerned as a parent)
Information will be treated confidentially. And if your child doesn’t fit the criteria/can’t take part in the workshops, but would like to be involved/have an input somehow, please do still get in touch.
All activities are free. If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch – info@screennorthants.co.uk or 07930 646721 or 35 Princes Walk (upstairs), Grosvenor Centre, Northampton, NN1 2EL.
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