Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport Minutes of Evidence


Memorandum submitted by the New Millennium Experience Company

THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME

THE ACTIVITIES OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM EXPERIENCE COMPANY ACROSS THE UK

  The terms of reference for the Culture, Media and Sport's fifth inquiry include examination of "the activities of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) across the UK".

  This written memorandum deals with those activities.

INTRODUCTION

  Part of the remit the company was given by the Millennium Commission in February 1997 was to "organise and run a national programme across the UK, to support local events and provide a link to the Millennium Experience at Greenwich." The aim was, and is, to bring the Millennium Experience to as wide and as inclusive an audience of participants as possible. As indicated in the company's published Annual Report and Financial Statements about £50 million of the Millennium Experience cash-limited budget of £758 million was earmarked for this aspect of the project. Additionally, in order to achieve effective development, implementation and promotion of the National Programme, the company established 12 "regional" offices throughout the UK. The company's staff in these offices, in addition to their work on the National Programme, have provided a local focus for Millennium celebrations and for bringing different local groups and resources together.

  NMEC's programme of initiatives throughout the United Kingdom under the umbrella of the National Programme encompasses a comprehensive Learning Experience, other non-school/education establishment initiatives and the company's participation, in partnership with the 11 National Lottery distributors, in the Millennium Festival. Many aspects of the Programme are linked to individual exhibit zones at the Dome and are showcased at the Dome. All have been developed and implemented with the support and involvement of the sponsors and partners of the Millennium Experience.

THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME

  The National Programme is the largest and most inclusive community-based initiative ever developed in the UK. Through the broad range of projects that comprise the National Programme, millions of people across the country have the opportunity to take part, to make a difference to their lives and to their communities, and to leave a positive, long-term legacy for the new Millennium. The Programme has been specifically designed to give as many people as possible the opportunity to participate, whatever their ages, interests or aspirations for the 21st century.

  An unprecedented range of partnerships, between the private, public and voluntary sectors has been created. Companies have developed truly progressive initiatives, extending far beyond the traditional forms of corporate support for social and community projects. Charities have also worked together, many for the first time, as collective partnerships with the aim of achieving more as a result.

INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS OF THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME

  Children's Promise, is linked to the Self Portrait Zone at the Dome and is made possible by Marks & Spencer. It is one of the most ambitious fund-raising initiatives ever attempted in the UK. Her Majesty The Queen is patron of the Children's Promise charity. The premise of the initiative is to encourage as many individuals as possible to give one hour's earnings to create a legacy for the children of the new Millennium. Seven charities have come together for the first time under the Children's Promise banner and will use their expertise to allocate the money raised to agreed new projects. The seven charities are:

    —  Barnardos

    —  BBC Children in Need

    —  Childline

    —  The Children's Society (working with Aberlour Child Care Trust in Scotland; and EXTERN in Northern Ireland)

    —  Comic Relief

    —  NCH Action for Children

    —  NSPCC (working with Children 1st in Scotland)

  The project has created a revolution in payroll giving, with £18.5 million donated to date. This figure includes a personally signed cheque from pop superstar Sir Cliff Richard, who raised money through the sales of his Number One hit single "Millennium Prayer" and announced this significant contribution at a ceremony in the Dome.

  More than 5,600 organisations representing over 10.3 million employees are committed to participating in the appeal. Leading Government figures and MPs, including Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, have also donated. The bulk of donations to date represented the last hour's wage of the last Millennium and plans are agreed to promote a similar payroll donation programme for the last working hour of the year 2000.

  Common Purpose Citizen's Connection, is linked to the Shared Ground Zone at the Dome and is made possible by Camelot Group plc. It launches in September 2000 and is another ground-breaking initiative, which aims to revolutionise the relationship between individual people and their local community via access to the Internet; creating a new generation of active citizens for the new Millennium. (The pre-launch website can be accessed at www.czc.net). It is an interactive resource, which inspires people to make a difference in society and gives them the tools to do it. Using technology developed within the voluntary sector, content falls within four sections: "How Society Works", "Using Your Voice", "Taking on a New Role", and "Joining the Debate".

  Citizen's Connection is featured in the Active Citizens Quiz showcased in the Dome and has challenged thousands of visitors to find out how much they know about how society works and suggests ways in which they can make a difference in their communities.

  MPs, senior representatives from the voluntary sector and journalists attended a Citizen's Connection forum at the Cabinet Office earlier this year. Lord Falconer, the Shareholder of the company, chaired the discussion, which sought to share information and ideas about how to ensure the success of Citizen's Connection when it launches.

  Reach for the Sky, is linked to Skyscape at the Dome and is sponsored by BskyB. It was launched in May 1999. The Internet site (www.reachforthesky.co.uk) recently received acclaim from the Daily Mail as one of the top sites in its category. Featuring online interviews with the Prime Minister, live monthly "Career Clinics", a resident Agony Aunt, and regularly updated information about what life is really like in hundreds of jobs, the Reach for the Sky website is fast becoming the first stop for Britain's teenagers seeking guidance about their futures.

  Reach for the Sky Community Awards have taken place in Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle. Workshops in science, technology and journalism have successfully inspired young people to consider the work opportunities available in the new Millennium. Fifteen Awards Workshops are scheduled to take place this year. These awards have been designed with the help of the Reach for the Sky Award Partners—School of Media, London School of Printing, the BRIT School, Weston Spirit, CREST Awards, Activate (UK), and the Imperial College. Sky Television employees are acting as mentors at these workshops, providing expertise in their specialist areas.

  Manpower National Skills Festival 2000, is linked to the Work Zone at the Dome and is an initiative developed in partnership with UK SKILLS and the Prince's Trust and the Department for Education and Employment. The project aims to help young people to succeed by promoting excellence in practical skills.

  The Festival has already featured major launch events in Wales, Northern Ireland and the North East. Live, interactive skill demonstrations in public places were the theme of Skills Week (May 22-26). Skills week was launched on 22 May as part of the Work and Learning Week in the Dome, where celebrities were asked to tackle new or long dormant skills. A major event took place in Manchester on 26 May, where the Skills Festival took over the whole of Albert Square with over 1,000 local schoolchildren.

  Regional Steering Groups, comprising key figures in skills development, have come together to co-ordinate more than 70 skills events across the country, expected to involve 100,000 participants. Skills Week was supported with more than £250,000 in sponsorship from regional and national bodies, in addition to the £50,000 funding from the Skills Festival.

  The Skills Show takes place at Birmingham NEC between 5 and 9 July and is expected to attract 50,000 visitors. The centrepiece of the show is the national finals of more than 40 skills sectors' competitions, accredited by UK SKILLS. Birmingham City Council have awarded the Skills Show "Major Event Status".

  The Skills Festival reaches its conclusion at a celebration event at the Dome on 16 November 2000 to mark the success of the Skills Show winners and to wish them well in their campaign to bring back medals from the World Skills Championships in Seoul, South Korea in 2001.

  BAA Millennium Youth Games, is part of the Millennium Festival, and is the world's largest sporting event for young people, including those with disabilities. The programme spans three years and will attract some 250,000 participants. (BAA, together with BA, are sponsors of Home Planet at the Dome).

  During the spring and early summer, 43 area youth games will take place across the UK, culminating in a spectacular Grand Final in Southampton during August 2000.

  The Games provides categories for under 13s and under 15s in athletics, tennis, hockey, netball, swimming, basketball, rugby (including mixed and girls' teams) and football (including girls teams). These sports were chosen to complement Sport England's new Active Sports programme to encourage young people to become more involved in sport.

THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME'S LEARNING EXPERIENCE

  The Learning Experience focuses on events and initiatives involving schoolchildren of all ages, and others, and assists the company in delivering the "educational" aspect of the remit from the Millennium Commission and the Government. It offers the largest education resource outside the education establishment in the UK throughout 2000—including the opportunity for up to one million schoolchildren to visit the Dome free of charge and over 500,000 the opportunity to visit at special rates.

  The Learning Experience adheres to five key principles:

    —  Education is for everybody, not just for children in schools.

    —  Initiatives and projects within the programme will be innovative and creative.

    —  Quality matters—the aim is to raise standards and develop skills.

    —  Initiatives will leave an enduring legacy.

    —  Technology will be key to delivering projects.

  Within the Learning Experience team there are 12 Education Managers and a dedicated team located in the Learning Experience Centre at the Dome. Additionally, the Learning Zone within the Dome (sponsored by Tesco) includes the school of the future and the skills needed for the 21st century, and many of the other zones have an educational content.

  Projects developed and implemented at local, regional, national and international levels within the Learning Experience are:

  McDonald's Our Town Story, is a unique project which allows schools and communities throughout the country the opportunity to perform on the Our Town Stage in the Dome, telling the story of their town's history throughout the last Millennium, and looking to the future. Over 200 schools and communities will appear throughout 2000. There have already been 80 performance days, involving 76 LEAs and over 8,000 schoolchildren from all over the UK.

  The performances incorporate music, dance, street theatre and drama in energetic and innovative productions, which have received overwhelmingly positive responses from participants, visitors and VIPs alike. Behind the scenes, a large proportion of the participating communities (such as parents, teachers, non-performing students and local media) have dedicated tireless hours to bringing these projects to life. The project has captured the imagination and galvanised communities in celebrating the new Millennium and taking part in the Millennium Experience.

  The local and regional news coverage has been widespread and extremely positive. Over 397 media representatives have attended shows and promotional press and TV events. This coverage has promoted the Dome to potential visitors and brought local communities together—thus adding to the legacy. Legacy records are being collected in the form of performance videos, media coverage, guest lists and performance summary notes.

  McDonald's Learning Experience Centre. The Centre, at the Dome, enables up to 100 schoolchildren per session to visit the classroom of the future. The installation of new technology software, including 24 state of the art computer terminals in two futuristic classrooms, enables students to design their own websites; send and discuss work via webcam to anywhere in the world, and participate in video-conferencing with schools all over the world. Students e-mail their work in progress back to their schools, to continue on return. Students can also take away their materials on CD-ROM.

  The Centre has played host to prestigious and special educational projects, including US Vice President Al Gore's Globe Project and a live video link-up to students in America and the first live, uncensored link between students in the UK and China.

  BAE Systems' Engineering Our Future: (learning science, technology and engineering in the Dome). This project aims to provide resources, activities and events for schools and colleges to experience science and technology from an engineering perspective.

  The first academic term of science and technology lessons in the Mind Zone has now been completed. Between 29 February and 13 April, 63 schools, 1,900 students and 135 teachers from around the UK participated in sessions. Bookings for the summer term are full and are now being taken for the autumn term. The schools' responses to the project have been 100 per cent positive. Feedback forms show that students particularly enjoy the inter-activity of the performance (featuring robots) and teachers appreciate the innovative interpretation of zone content and the manner in which the sessions set the educational tone for their students' day at the Dome.

  Millennium Science and Technology Experience. Two of the 12 scheduled Science Fairs have been successfully completed, again with very positive feedback from students and teachers alike. The next Fair is being held at Canary Wharf on 22 May, which is being attended by BAE Systems Chief Executive, John Weston. Two schools from each of the Fairs will be invited to attend a huge celebration of their achievements in science and technology at the Dome in October 2000. These events will reach and encourage over 2,500 young people.

  As part of the initiative, more than 50 engineers have been trained and will go into schools for up to five days throughout the summer and autumn terms to relate industry and engineering to the classroom.

  Tesco SchoolNet 2000. Since 1 January 2000, young visitors to the Dome have contributed 1,700 articles to the Tesco SchoolNet 2000 website. These children have given us their thoughts on the past, present and future in a fantastic electronic Domesday Book for the new Millennium.

  In the Tesco SchoolNet 2000 classroom at the Dome, children from as far away as the Falkland Islands and China have created web pages. Many schools in the UK are continuing to put children's work on the site, which is open for new web pages until December 2000. To date, 16,500 schools have registered with the project, 132,000 pupils have filed their personal accounts and 47,000 web pages have been published—making this the largest educational website in the world.

  BT FutureTalk. This project involves performance in schools by CragRats and ARC Theatre Companies, aimed at improving the communication skills of young pupils.

  More than 2,000 schools have been visited to date and 262,000 pupils have seen the performances.

  Each school digitally photographs the event and a member of staff is given ICT training to help display the children's work electronically.

  The programme is being evaluated by NFER and the latest report provides a strong endorsement from teachers of the project's impact and success.

  Curriculum materials have been produced, which are proving popular with the schools and a pack has been issued on the Education Programme for schools visiting the Dome.

  Voices of Promise, supported by Marks & Spencer, Roland and Boosey & Hawkes. "The songs we listen to tomorrow will be written by the people we encourage today"—Phil Collins. This is the vision behind the Voices of Promise, a groundbreaking song writing project organised throughout the UK. Children were invited to compose and sing songs expressing their hopes and aspirations for the next Millennium.

  As a result, Voices has developed the music curriculum throughout the UK and enabled teachers to explore new skills while students were given the opportunity to write and perform their own songs.

  7,000 schools registered and received the song-writing pack. 2,000 schools composed songs. 500 schools received a "Song-Writer in Schools" workshop. 140 schools performed in 14 regional concerts. 22 schools recorded their songs at the prestigious Air Studios in London and later performed them at the Dome in front of an audience of 3,500 people.

  The project has captured the imagination and generated significant local and national TV and press exposure in recognition of the schools' achievements.

  The support of major companies, Marks & Spencer, Boosey & Hawkes and Roland in particular, has been excellent.

  Marks & Spencer have reached the final stages of the Business in the Community Awards due to their involvement. Roland has supplied state of the art music equipment as prizes to the 22 finalist schools, as well as discount vouchers for further equipment. They organised a weekend retreat for the teachers of the finalist schools, in order to learn how to operate the specialist equipment. The final 22 songs are also included on the Roland website. Boosey & Hawkes has published a songbook featuring each of the 22 finalist songs.

  Faith Zone Poster Project. This initiative has invited church schools throughout the country to produce their message for the new Millennium, for exhibit in the Faith Zone in the Dome. Each month an NMEC Regional Office runs a competition with the Local Education Authorities to select the best posters to be displayed. Once again, excellent local media coverage has been generated.

  Keepwell Project. This initiative enabled some 800 schoolchildren around the UK to produce designs for inventions or games, which could promote the improved health of the nation. The judges felt that so many of the designs were of such a high quality that, instead of selecting one winning design, several designs were selected for display as part of the Body Zone, sponsored by Boots with L'Oreal and Roche, on a rotating basis.

MILLENNIUM YOUTH COUNCILS

  The company established the country-wide Millennium Youth Councils in 1998. Members of Councils have acted as ambassadors and researchers for the Dome and its associated projects. Many MYC members are on other Youth Councils and local forums and pass views and thoughts from their peers to the NMEC staff and Board.

  The 12 regional Youth Councils have advised on the Dome content and the Millennium Show. They have also participated in national NMEC projects such as Voices of Promise, Tesco SchoolNet 2000 and Our Town Story steering groups.

  The MYCs are doing presentations and exhibitions in schools to youth groups and even to Local Education Authorities. All MYC members have been media trained by the company and have participated in numerous TV, radio and print interviews. The London MYC have visited the BBC and advised on their new education programmes.

  The National Youth Council is currently participating in a Statement of Achievement, endorsed by the Rt Hon David Blunkett MP. Each region has "adopted" a zone of the Dome and is writing a "Young Person's Guide to the Dome" which will be published on the MYC website—myc2000.co.uk.

  The Department for Education and Employment and the UK Youth Parliament Steering Group are consulting the MYCs as part of the Connexions Strategy and the 12 Youth Councils will form the basis of the UK Young Persons Network in 2001.

THE MILLENNIUM FESTIVAL

  The Millennium Festival is a UK-wide celebration of the Millennium. A rich and diverse collection of carnivals, pageants, exhibitions and sporting activities, these events are organised by people coming together in local communities to plan their own unique ways to mark the Millennium. Over 15,000 local and regional events will take place throughout the year 2000, celebrating the talents, imagination, culture and diversity of the UK's population.

  The Festival activities are made possible by the Millennium Festival Fund. The Fund brought together for the first time all 11 Lottery Distributors, which were then in operational existence. The Lottery distributors have worked in partnership with NMEC to create and promote a £100 million grants fund.

  There were two levels of activity to the grants programme—Large Grants over £5,000 and Small Grants between £500 and £5,000. The Large Grants programme ran from May 1998 to February 1999. The Small Grants programme has run to a varied timetable in the different countries within the UK, following on after the Large Grants programme and in some cases still running.

  NMEC's role has been to promote and market the Millennium Festival across the UK to the widest possible range of stakeholders, potential applicant organisations, media and general public. NMEC was also tasked with attracting commercial sponsorship for the Festival.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Sponsorship

  In addition to the funding from the 11 Lottery Distributors, NMEC has attracted commercial support from:

    —  Coca Cola—direct sponsorship.

    —  BAA—support for the Millennium Youth Games element of the Festival.

    —  Associated Newspapers (London Evening Standard).

    —  Capital Group—to support Festival activities in London and Wales.

    —  Bank of Scotland—to support Festival activities in Scotland.

  In addition, the Festival has attracted the substantial added value of PR and media activity via opportunities for all groups to carry the endorsement of Coca Cola branding on their publicity materials, and for Millennium Festival branding featuring on London Evening Standard "Hot Tickets" materials and publications.

Promoting Partnerships

  The Millennium Festival has generated and sustained partnerships through its developmental and advocacy role in the regions. For example, in the South West region local authorities in Gloucestershire, which had not worked together before, joined forces to discuss their respective Festival activities and this has led to a long-term commitment to joint working arrangements and improved cross-authority and cross-boundary working. There has been a similar increase in collaboration and co-operation by local authorities in the Eastern region.

  The Millennium Festival has forged a number of distinctive partnerships with the BBC. One of the keynote Millennium celebrations was the BBC Music Live between 25 and 29 May 2000. The Festival worked closely with the BBC to promote an extensive programme of street festivals throughout the country and to ensure that local community organisations knew of the opportunity to participate in the final celebrations of the "Perfect Day" charity recording.

  The Millennium Festival also has a dedicated day within the BBC's Proms series on 12 August 2000 when young people making music will be the focus of five hours of concerts.

  The Festival's Small Awards schemes have been instrumental in increasing access to Lottery Distributors' funding. In England, under the Awards for All scheme, 75 per cent of applicants are receiving funding for the first time. An effective and widespread PR campaign, combined with the general appeal of the Millennium Festival enabled those new to applying for Lottery funding to access the gateway with ease.

  These local networks will provide a long-term legacy of partnership working across regions and communities.

Increasing Social Inclusion

  The Millennium Festival has succeeded in its remit of supporting fully inclusive celebrations. Increasing access and participation have been key criteria for support from the Festival and a significant proportion of funding has been received by groups, which for one reason or another, have previously been excluded from funding, ie groups representing ethnic and religious minority groups, and small rural community groups.

  The Large Grants scheme made 76 awards to Black and ethnic minority managed groups worth over £3 million. Another 100 projects that have been supported have a strong multi-cultural element in planned celebrations or education events and this funding comes to over £15 million.

  Funding of over £2.5 million was received by 57 disabled groups, including local Mind groups and those covering physical disabilities. Another 150 projects have made specific attempts to encourage and facilitate the participation of disabled people.

MILLENNIUM FESTIVAL FUND—LARGE GRANTS—AWARDS OVER £5,000

  Across the whole of the UK 1,149 awards were made worth over £53.7 million. These can be divided by country as follows:

    —  England—866 awards worth £33.3 million.

    —  Northern Ireland—60 awards worth £2.8 million.

    —  Wales—78 awards worth £3.5 million.

    —  Scotland—106 awards worth £5.6 million.

    —  UK wide—39 awards worth £8.5 million.

  Expenditure across England can be sub-divided as follows:

    —  London—119 awards worth £4.9 million.

    —  South East—118 awards worth £3.7 million.

    —  South West—81 awards worth £2.4 million.

    —  East—74 awards worth £2.3 million.

    —  East Midlands—113 awards worth £4.1 million.

    —  West Midlands—64 awards worth £2.7 million.

    —  North East—75 awards worth £2.5 million.

    —  North West—92 awards worth £3.3 million.

    —  Yorkshire & Humberside—87 awards worth £2.4 million.

    —  Cross regional—43 awards worth £3 million.

  Plus £2 million from Sport England for the 38 BAA Millennium Youth Games events.

CONCLUSION

  By any standards the National Programme has been and continues to be an outstanding success delivering all that had been hoped from it in terms of coverage across the UK, numbers of people participating, inclusivity, variety, scope and legacy. It has also constantly received very positive regional media coverage.

June 2000


 
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