Memorandum submitted by Jackie Matthews, Mullion, Cornwall

 

 

Jackie Matthews - formerly an English teacher based at Mullion School in Cornwall and now a freelance practitioner working mainly at Mullion but also further afield with young people aged between 5 and 18.

 

Having left teaching in 1988, I moved to Cornwall from London in 2000 and offered my services on a voluntary basis at the local school. After a year of working in a voluntary capacity within the English Department I was employed first as supply teacher and then full time. I first came into contact with Creative Partnerships in February of 2004 and have worked with them closely ever since. So convinced am I of the value of this way of working I gave up job security and salary resigning my teaching post in July 2007 to work freelance co-ordinating and promoting this way of learning within the school and, through working on projects with these students, out into the wider community.

 

My first experience of working with Creative Partnerships involved a day supervising a class working with the Kneehigh Theatre Company. The following year we wrote a successful bid inviting the Kneehigh to work with us for a week in return for us marketing their shows in the village. Step Forward (our youth marketing group) evolved from this initial project. For our next venture we made a film as part of the Cornwall wide "Landings" project. As a

direct result we were asked to market the Young People's Days of the Film Festival Cornwall and have since been involved in giving presentations of our work around the country to business organisations, representatives from both local and national government and the National Council of the Arts Council whilst building up our expertise in marketing other events. We are currently working with CP on Film Festival Cornwall, Comic Relief, Chewtv and RIO. Working with CP has given us the confidence to begin devising more projects ourselves. Having planned the project and raised the finance, a group of Year Ten students are painting a mural for a primary school's outdoor play area. Meanwhile a larger number of Year Nine pupils are making their own short films, another group of students have formed a film club and are busy making an animation for this year's Film Festival. Others have volunteered for the board of the Youth Opportunities Fund and are responsible for a budget of £81,000 this year. We have made successful bids to the Big Lottery Fund and have also raised funding for an Apple Mac laptop plus software and accessories. We are also currently looking at working with Young Enterprise and Young Co-Operatives.

 

Initially working with small groups of young people, CP projects at Mullion have now reached twenty per cent of our school population across the age and ability range and the numbers are increasing all the time. Students working on Creative Partnerships projects use their work as evidence for the Arts Award, at either Bronze or Silver Level, and CoPE (ASDAN certificate of personal effectiveness), enabling them to gain additional accreditation and recognition for their achievements. The Arts Award has become part of the English Curriculum for some students in Years 8,9,10 & 11 giving breadth, depth and diversity to their work while encouraging them to think and act creatively and independently. We are now also looking at ways to introduce the scheme into Music and Dance at Key Stage Three with subject based and cross curricula projects and at Key Stage Four with all Year 10 and Year 11 students through CoPE and Wider Key Skill in "Working With Others Through An Enterprise Activity".

 

Introducing "creativity based learning" has been a slow process to some extent because of the nature of the school and staff. We are a small rural school where transport links are poor and many people feel isolated and insular. Many staff have been at the same school for upwards of twenty years and are resistant to change. However, we are getting there, partly because teachers have been able to see for themselves how effective, successful and rewarding 'creative learning' is for both pupil and teacher. Initial reluctance and even hostility from some staff in releasing young people from their subject lessons to take part in CP projects has by and large disappeared as not only have SAT and GCSE results improved but the young people themselves behave sensibly and maturely taking responsibility for their own learning. I am English based but have made a conscious effort to develop our projects in such way as to involve the greatest number of areas of the curriculum (for example - promoting the Film Festival involves Citizenship, Dance, Design, Drama, English, Food Technology, Humanities, IT) and other areas of the school have felt encouraged to take on this way of learning notably in Humanities, Art, Design and Technology.

 

Two projects give a clear idea of the impact working with Creative Partnerships has had on our school. Late in 2004 we were invited to join a Cornwall wide project commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and chose to make a short film (something we had never done before and had no experience of whatsoever). By the time our film was shown in Trebah Gardens the following summer about 50 pupils (10% of the school roll) from across the age and ability range were involved and the rest of the school knew about it and attended showings of the film alongside Major Hibbert, an Arnhem veteran and the owner of Trebah, and local members of the British Legion. The filming and public screenings generated a huge amount of interest from locals and tourists, with a Dutch couple requesting e-mail information about the processes involved. Stills from the film appear on the website of the 29th US Infantry Division, the regiment of the soldiers commemorated on the film and the school received a particularly moving message from the public affairs officer of the unit saying "thank you so much for remembering and honouring the heroes of the 29th and their sacrifices".

 

This was an exciting cross-curricular project - a short film telling the story of an imagined meeting between a GI and an evacuee on a Cornish beach the evening before the Normandy Landings. Local filmmaker Stuart Lansdowne kick-started the project with an intensive one-day course in the art of filmmaking, culminating in the pupils recording, editing and screening a short film sequence. Next, historian and actor Steve Manning spent a day with the group discussing the Second World War with particular reference to the role of American GIs based in Cornwall. The historical research was completed with a visit to the Cornwall Studies Library, where students discovered information about the area in wartime to incorporate into the film. All this material was collated and handed over to the team of scriptwriters, who had only a week to produce rough drafts. A day with writer Denzil Monk helped them turn their drafts into a professional working film script. While students with acting roles learned lines and rehearsed (assisted by professional actor John MacNeill), others worked on costumes, hairstyles, make-up, props and locations, all of which had to be as authentic as possible. The film was then shot at various local sites over the next few weeks. One of the most successful elements was the village hall dance sequence, recorded in the evening of the first day of filming; this was great fun and got the whole production off to an excellent start. Professional dancers involved through 'The Works: Dance and Theatre Company' had taught a group of pupils the `lindy-hop` - and, of course, for authenticity, our 'GIs' had to have haircuts! Further dance routines preceded the first showing of the film at Trebah. Students edited film and sound, added the Pathe news section at the beginning and created the 'glorious Technicolor' wash to give a more authentic 1940s feel. Then they prepared for the first public screening in the 'cinema' (summer house) at Trebah Gardens where a team acted as "usherettes" and performed a period dance. Pupils also designed and produced a DVD which includes over 50 still images from the making of the film. A Y9 English group opted to market the film, designing posters and leaflets, writing press releases and creating a promotional campaign for 'Far From Home', which was entered for the Cornish Film Festival. Other students then took on the responsibility for marketing the Young People's Day at the Festival. Another group of students went on to help at a presentation ceremony for 'land girls' where they entertained the ladies with songs and dances from wartime.

 

On all levels the project was a great success. Many orders for DVDs have been received, and the film certainly raised awareness of the Second World War and its impact on this part of Cornwall, not only in the students involved, but also in the school as a whole and in the wider community. Model aircraft enthusiasts from nearby RNAS Culdrose helped film a sequence involving replica WWII aircraft and Bodmin Railway assisted in the filming of the evacuees' arrival. Other people lent costumes and music of the period, gas masks and other memorabilia, and even an American jeep! Students from Camborne College taught Mullion pupils how to style hair and make-up for the 1940s, and, of course, staff at Trebah Gardens helped a great deal

 

On a school level, a broad cross-section of staff and TAs were involved, while the PTA and other parents also gave support. Most of the work was done in curriculum time, although some film sequences were shot during evenings or weekends. The project was cross-curricular involving English, History, Geography, Dance, Drama, Music, IT, Design and Technology, Food Technology and Media.

 

The level of knowledge of, and interest in, the Second World War instilled in the pupils as a result is impressive. They learned much about everyday life in the period, as well as having the chance to experience all the skills involved in the complete process of planning, making, editing and marketing a film. Additionally, they learned to work in an adult way - in teams, sometimes supported by staff or professional adults, but often with no outside support, instead having to rely on their own ideas and judgement. They developed the ability to work independently or in teams, sometimes in areas in which they felt confidant but more often in areas entirely new, across subject boundaries and age/friendship groups. Most importantly, the young people learned to think creatively in a variety of situations, gaining the confidence to take on new challenges, as well as gaining new skills.

 

As it was a one-off initiative working to a specified time-scale (the week of screenings), students did miss some curriculum time. However, what they brought back significantly enriched their learning experience, and, through conversation in and out of lessons, that of their peers. Overall, it was a very positive and exciting venture and was a hugely enjoyable experience for the students involved!

 

A very different project has been our involvement with Comic Relief, a partnership brought about by Creative Partnerships. Last summer, June 2006, we were asked to provide a team of pupils to advise Comic Relief on their marketing ideas and strategies with regard to young people. Large numbers of students across the school were questioned about their ideas on celebrities, entertainment and merchandising which they felt appealed to them in promoting Comic Relief's work and which they would like to see associated with Red Nose Day 2007. The material was collated and Laura Martin from CP worked with the team producing 'dream boards' of ideas which they took to London as part of their presentation to senior staff at Comic Relief. Their efforts received positive feedback and we have been asked to work with Comic Relief again, this time in a more in-depth and, hopefully, ongoing manner as young consultants looking at the merchandising, piloting fundraising ideas and potentially being filmed and included in DVDs for national circulation to all schools for broadcast on the day of Sport Relief next year. Project visits, work on blogging their experiences at UK Comic Relief and Sport Relief projects are also planned.

 

Although only four students travelled to London the effect has been huge ultimately affecting every child in the school and now reaching out to the surrounding area. Mullion is a rural school in an area of high unemployment, few opportunities, low wages and low aspirations. Many of our young people are disaffected, feeling cut off from the rest of the country. Involvement with Comic Relief (courtesy of CP) is helping to change that. As a Comic Relief Challenge Teachers TV, working in collaboration with RNAS Culdrose, kidnapped three of our staff filming their training as part of an air/sea rescue team while our students raised the ransom money. In the current climate of celebrity culture a partnership with Comic Relief has a positive effect on the young people while raising their awareness of charity work and giving them the opportunity to be part of a 'real' project.

 

Groups of young people worked independently and in teams promoting the work of Comic Relief both within school and within the wider area. This involved a variety of marketing skills - design, press releases, and public speaking - and reached across the curriculum involving most subjects. The success of the project was dependent on the young people working effectively as teams, taking difficult decisions, working to very tight deadlines, using their own initiative with next to no adult help. Two years ago we raised nearly £700 on Red Nose Day, this year we trebled that. And we benefited in that young people at Mullion now feel their views and ideas count and this time they're being heard nationally.

 

In conclusion working with Creative Partnerships has begun to bring 'creative learning' into Mullion School. And the young people want more! Through this relationship they've acquired a wide array of practical skills they'll take with them into adult life. They've also taken on board the demands of the real world - working to deadlines, to budgets, team work, decision making, thinking out of the box, taking responsibility, raising finance and many more. Working this way is helping them develop into confident, aware and mature young people more in tune with the real world and with others.

 

And it is not only the young people who benefit. "Creative learning" shakes us all out of our comfort zones - introducing new ideas, people, scenarios and ways of learning to teachers as well as pupils.

 

In my role as an Arts Award moderator I visit schools and youth groups across the country. All have embraced to a greater or lesser degree "creative learning" and the feedback is overwhelming that this is a powerful and effective way of reaching young people. At a summer school last year for young offenders one student felt his GCSE results were "irrelevant" but he was overwhelmed at achieving a Bronze Level Arts Award having amongst other things composed the lyrics and music for an "anti-gun crime" song and led the whole group in performing and making a DVD of his piece. Last week a young man in St Ives who finds school work a real struggle said- "I've never worked so hard but I didn't mind because I enjoyed it." And, finally, one of my students, a thirteen year old boy frequently excluded from lessons, completed a project for Cornwall Arts Marketing in a quarter of the time they'd set aside - his comment "This is the first time I've ever been proud of anything I've done in school - when can I do more".

 

Creative Partnerships have set us on our route now and there can be no turning back. I hope many more people will have these opportunities and are willing to take the risk of working in this way so they can realise the impact it has on young people's self-esteem and learning.

 

July 2007

 

 

Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Alice Massey

 

AGE

16

Favourite project - give brief details

"Landings"- we were taught by professional dancers on authentic 1940s dancing. The way the professional worked with us by talking and asking of our opinions made me feel involved in the actual choreographing and ultimately gave me a feeling that I was important to the project.

 

 

Skills gained

Working with others was a skill that gained during this exercise as well as the new dancing skills I achieved.

 

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

I feel that this task gave me confidence and helped me with my dance in GCSE. It was useful working with others on a real job rather than an exercise for school as it was like being in the real world and gave me an idea if what it would be like when I leave school.

 

Why do you like working this way?

It is different to normal education as I was extremely involved with it. It was my choice to be part of the project and I enjoyed giving input into it.

 

 

 

 

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

I like the way they work with young people and I enjoyed sharing this experience with them.

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Ben Edgerley

 

AGE

14

 

Favourite project - give brief details

Working with Comic Relief to help show them what younger people would like the charity to do for Red Nose Day. For this we prepared a talk to a group of Comic Relief organisers in London before being questioned about our ideas.

 

 

Favourite Project - give brief details

Painting a mural at St Martins where we are helping the children to design "leaf" ideas and currently I am helping them paint their wall. This is livening up their playground.

 

Skills gained

I have learned to work in a group more effectively as well as learning to work with children. I also believe my communication skills have greatly improved.

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

I am more confident in all aspects of life whilst in groups I participate much better meaning my work as a whole has been significantly improved.

 

 

Why do you like working this way?

I feel that having much more adult responsibilities makes you much more committed to working effectively to a better standard.

 

 

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

I would definitely want Creative Partnerships to expand and continue for so far I have found only positive results from working with them.

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Bethany Alice Lyne

AGE

16

 

Favourite project - give brief details

Landings which led to the Marketing of the YPFF.

 

Making and starring in a film to commemorate the WWII D-Day Landings. The project was immensely enjoyable due to the creative nature of the experience. The professionals we were working with allowed us to explore our ideas, without placing restrictions on us. It was good to be treated as adults, as opposed to children and pupils, an occurrence which is rare in school. By working with us, as opposed to 'at' us, I feel I learned more as it was my choice to learn and take responsibility for what I was doing. It gave me a sense of pride and ownership over the projects.

Favourite Project - give brief details

Forest of Dean and London Arts Council Presentations.

 

Travelling to the conferences and speaking in front of a large number of people. We also had to adapt the presentations to the audiences we were talking to. I found the Arts Council presentation the most rewarding as it was a hugely influential group of people we were invited to talk to. Just being in London was fantastic. As I live in Cornwall, large cities are something I do not come across and just being in a urban environment was exciting, seeing the sites and a show was the icing on the cake.

Skills gained

Landings - Researching a film, learning how to dance the Jitterbug and Lindyhop, finding out about the costumes and makeup techniques used to make a film authentic, discovering the importance of continuity in a film. Learning about the processes used to film and realising the differences between stage acting and screen acting e.g. each scene has to be done a number of times rather than just once.

 

YPFF - Working with other groups and keeping up the communication between them, learning the art of subtle negotiation in meetings with the other groups, taking minutes, writing lottery bids and press releases, talking in radio interviews, having a successful reviewing process for future collaborative projects.

 

Presentations - Talking in a formal manner to a large group of people, answering questions in a direct manner without waffling on, aiming presentations at the correct group of people, structuring presentations using a PowerPoint.

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

The work I have done with Step Forward has had a huge impact on me as an individual. My, like the rest of the group, confidence has grown enormously with the undertaking of the projects. Through the projects, I have met and worked with people inside and outside of school, whom otherwise I wouldn't have had contact with. The work has enabled me to meet experts and learn skills, like writing a successful lottery bid, from them. The work has also shown me an alternative career path which I would like to pursue in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

Why do you like working this way?

As I have already said, working in this way, enables you to have ownership of the project you are working on, and feel proud of what you have achieved. By taking overall responsibility for the project, I think we worked harder and ultimately learned a lot more than we would have done if we had just been taught it in school.

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

I think it is vitally important that Creative Partnerships carry on their work so other people can experience what I have. Even within my school, there are pupils who wished that they had become a part of Step Forward at the beginning. As a company, we have achieved so much, and we would like to further our work, however without Creative Partnerships, it could not be made possible. I think Creative Partnerships, should extend its work into small groups, like Step Forward, to encourage young people to become more involved in creative projects.

 

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Chloe Cheung

 

AGE

16

 

Favourite project - give brief details

Making the leaflets, creating them on computer in 2005 with Steven Paige.

 

 

Favourite Project - give brief details

Promoting the Film Festival and doing the presentation at Gloucester for a business conference.

 

 

 

Skills gained

Being able to use the computer and using different programmes and team communications.

 

 

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

It has given me confidence and made talking to others I don't know easier. Showing me the work environment that I shall be going into.

 

 

 

 

 

Why do you like working this way?

You're able to get on with it. You can think differently and you're able to discuss your ideas which are heard. You're able to do activities which enable your mind to work better and you shall always remember it because its fun.

 

 

 

 

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

I would like Creative Partnerships to continue because it's a great opportunity for young children to be able to communicate with others they have not worked with before. Also to see the working environment and if it could be a career for them.

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Chris Gearing

 

AGE

16

 

Favourite project - give brief details

Kneehigh.

Our brief was to help advertise a production of Kneehigh Theatre Company's "Wagstaffe the Windup Boy". In return for this, they would teach us skills in acting, speaking, and various other forms of presentational drama. I enjoy acting, so this was a big help for me, and I'm now doing Drama for A Level.

 

Favourite Project - give brief details

Landings Project.

In this project, we had to make a film for the Landings project in Cornwall. I was involved mainly in the technical side of things - filming, lights and sound. I really enjoyed doing all of these things, and I have benefited a lot from the experience.

 

Skills gained

Acting, Speaking, Confidence, Filming, Sound and Film editing.

 

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

It has helped me to further my skills in working not only with groups of people but also on my own. I also feel more confident in myself and in speaking to groups of people which I have done quite a lot.

 

 

 

Why do you like working this way?

I like working this way because I feel it makes me work considerably harder than in a classroom. Also, I feel I learn more in this fashion. Finally, I enjoy it a lot, and that is always a bonus!

 

 

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

I feel that I shouldn't be the only person who is able to benefit from this method of working, and that lots of people will be able to benefit from this way of working if given the chance.

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Charlotte Wilson

 

AGE

16

 

Favourite project - give brief details

The Landings project, it was a great experience where, history, business and performing arts came into a project and gave a wide range of available activities for the team.

Favourite Project - give brief details

The Presentations to the Arts Council. Giving such an in depth presentation about our work to high powered professionals gave me the opportunity to stretch my people skills to their full potential and give me more confidence

 

Skills gained

My communication skills have developed and blossomed largely due to doing so many presentations to respected business people. Being able to speak in such a formal manner, improved not only my vocabulary but my gesture.

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

My confidence has grown like most that have done some activities within our group but also my ability to work as a team and allow myself to work less academically and into a business environment.

 

Why do you like working this way?

Working in this "hands on" way allows my peers and I to realise that once compulsory school is over there are more opportunities if going to college is less of an option. Team building is done without noticing as the pressure is on and deadlines need to be met.

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

Creative Partnerships, since I have had experience of them, have always given opportunities. Opportunities for young people of the 21st Century are a dream come true after all the bad press young people of today get. If Creative Partnerships are able to extend their work it will allow the young people who are given enjoyment and hope from these projects more chances to not only take part in these projects but also teach younger people the skills that they have learnt. Allowing a successful snow ball effect to take place due to Creative Partnerships input.

 

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Nell Hewett

AGE

14

Favourite project - give brief details

St.Martin Mural project - painting a blank wall in their playground that we are doing with help from the pupils and 2 professional artists.

 

Favourite Project - give brief details

Film Festival Cornwall - we are organising the events, workshops and after event party.

 

 

 

 

Skills gained

Communication

Art/painting skills on an alternate material

Working in a team

Fund raising

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

It has boosted my confidence and enjoyment of school. It all in all has made me feel more positive about many aspects of my life.

 

 

 

Why do you like working this way?

Basically it's fun. A different way of working that's not always with people my own age. A variation of subjects and environments that we work in. It doesn't feel like we're in a lesson, but we're still learning.

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

They have provided me personally with great opportunities that have prepared me for many situations I would not have known how to cope with otherwise. So I hope they could provide these opportunities for others.

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Sean Barber

 

AGE

14

 

Favourite project - give brief details

 

Arts Award - Making a video and doing research on my arts award hero and talking in front of the class also working on the computers.

 

Skills gained

Researching information about my arts award hero and I also learnt how to speak out loud in front of the class also I learnt how to make a video with windows movie maker and put sound onto a movie and how to upload pictures onto the movie.

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

It's benefited for me because it has helped me learn about all the different things like making a movie, helping others and it was good for my confidence because I could do things which other people couldn't do. Also I am pleased that I am going to get an award from this project. Also it has helped me organize folders a lot better than my organization was before e.g. Title page etc...

 

Why do you like working this way?

I like working this way because I am interested in researching subjects that I know quite a lot about. Also I like working with computers because I know a lot more about them than a pen and a sheet of paper.

Also I liked the fact that I knew a lot more about the computers than other people did and it made me feel a lot smarter and good about myself than I already did. Also I can type a lot faster than I can write on a piece of paper so then I can get a lot more work done.

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

I think there should be more working this way because I think a lot more pupils would enjoy it because they like working with computers and not with a pen and paper and most of the pupils would probably get work done instead of messing about in lessons and a lot more computer equipment in school should be brought because then schools could actually make proper films for the Arts Awards.

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Stevie Newman

 

AGE

13

 

Favourite project - give brief details

Working with Cornwall Arts Marketing to promote Cornwall's Bid to be Europe's First Region of Culture. I made posters, leaflets, helped design a logo for stickers and T-shirts. I went to other schools to talk about it to other kids.

 

 

Favourite Project - give brief details

Film Festival Cornwall. I am starting to get involved with this because of my other project. I have been to meetings and am getting involved with planning the events, speakers and party for this year's festival.

 

 

Skills gained

Designing stuff, talking to people, working with other people I don't know. Working to deadlines on real jobs that I know other people will see.

 

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

This is the first time I've ever been proud of anything I've done in school. It helped me because I sometimes get into trouble in school and it was good to show people what I can do and what I'm capable of. I felt really proud of all of it and took copies of everything so I could show my mum so she'd be proud of me too and she was really happy about what I was doing. It's made me more confident and better at organizing myself. For our school activity's week I have organised a one day trip to go skateboarding at Mount Hawke (25 miles away) for 10 people. I would never have done something like this before.

 

 

 

Why do you like working this way?

Because it's better than sitting in the classroom all the time doing writing and stuff that I find difficult and I'm not good at. It was good to have other people wanting to know what I was doing. It was good to work with adults who liked my ideas. It made me feel a lot more happier because I felt like I was doing something that I usually wouldn't do. I like the idea trying to do real jobs like designing T shirts rather than the usual school stuff.

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

Because it was fun and interesting and I enjoyed it a lot. You don't see many people doing real things like this - there should be more because it's new experiences, it challenges people to show who they really are .

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Jenna Norton

 

AGE

16

Favourite project - give brief details

Making leaflets, programmes for Young People's Film Festival 2005 with Steven Paige. Helping to organise an d carry out the marketing for the Festival

 

 

Favourite project - give brief details

Gloucester Conference on how to Organise an Event. We spoke to an audience of adults including police, firemen, council officials and others on how to do the marketing for a festival.

 

 

 

Skills gained

Working with others. Communications and confidence.

 

 

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

It has enabled me to work as part of a team. It has given me confidence to talk in front of people and experience of a real working environment.

It has also given me some idea of what I want to do as a career - I'm now going to do Media, Photography and Design at college.

 

 

 

 

Why do you like working this way?

As when you work with a group you are able to give and discuss different ideas and get other people's opinions. You are able to work and think differently and the practicality of it is much more beneficial.

 

 

 

 

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

Because it is an excellent opportunity with so many skills to be gained, at an age where they usually would not be. It adds to people's confidence and helps them communicate with others.

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Joey Mitchell

AGE

15

Favourite project - give brief details

Kneehigh.

I loved working with Kneehigh. It is my favourite because it was so different from the work I would normally do. I did lots of varied things. I made a shadow puppet out of my friends and I tried making normal shadow puppets out of tissue paper, withies and card. I even made a Cornish pasty, the flavours weren't traditional (green bean)but I enjoyed it more because I made it with the rest of my group. It is my personal favourite because it was the beginning of Step Forward and of all the things that I have done.

 

Favourite Project - give brief details

Film Festival

Another one of my favourite projects was the first film festival that we marketed. It was great as I had never been to a film festival before so marketing it was a challenge. I feel that I, as part of the Step Forward team rose to it. I designed and made the website for the festival. It was difficult and posed many problems but I did it in the end. The film festival was a great success with every ticket taken. As well as this, I enjoyed the film festival as someone who is not normally very outgoing.

 

Skills gained

I have gained knowledge in public speaking, website designing, working with others and working to deadlines and budgets.

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

It has made me come out of my shell so to speak. I have gone from someone who would not take part in anything unless it involves football to a person who will give anything a go. It has increased my confidence, my commitment and my self-esteem to know that, if I try, I can do things as well and in some cases better than other people. In have also became far more social. It has helped my schoolwork immensely as well. I have taken things learnt from these projects and used them in other subjects such as maths when my coursework needed to be handed in, I did it well and on time or when I had to produce a website for my ICT coursework, I did it with very little help.

 

Why do you like working this way?

I like to work this way as it gives me a chance to express myself in a constructive way. It is also very different from the daily rigor of school life so it helps me to concentrate and it increases my enthusiasm because it is something new. It gives a release and it makes you proud that you achieved something. And, as opposed to getting a high score in a test you make a festival a sell out. They both make you feel proudbut the latter is a better and different sort of pride. It is very hard to describe.

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

I would like Creative Partnership to continue and extend their work because I want more people to become confident in what they do, just like I have. Creative Partnerships changes the way in which I view myself and would like other people to feel this as well.

 

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships.

 

NAME

Louise Dandy

 

AGE

16

Favourite project - give brief details

Film Festival 2005

As part of Step Forward, I worked on funding from the Big Boost, involving writing a project description, budget. As my personal task, I organised the group of 20 or so, creating a deadline timetable and organising regular meetings, informally and formally. The team had to produce marketing materials to promote the Film Festival that included local Cornish school films etc. We made posters, leaflets, designed a screen iDent as well as being involved in the making of our school's film Far from Home.

Favourite project - give brief details

Landings We made a film from scratch about the Second World war. I danced in the "Village Hall Dance Scene".

Skills gained

A brief insight into the industry and the Silver Arts Award. Working in teams, raising funds, dealing with the press, talking in public to people I don't know. Learning to prioritise my work and commitments. Making difficult decisions. Learning to say "no" when sometimes I'd like to say "yes".

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

I have grown in confidence particularly talking to large crowds of professionals. With guidance from Mrs Matthews my speech writing skills have improved dramatically and my ability to converse spontaneously with relative strangers has also improved. I believe the knowledge I have gained with Step Forward; in the future, may be the stepping stone to a career in marketing.

Why do you like working this way?

Being given trust to figure out problems on your own, but with the knowledge that you are never totally alone, creates great pride and sense of achievement when the project is over. With the knowledge of the certain professionals I worked with, never once did I feel intimidated or left out, everyone was included and all suggestions were considered. I found the methods of working very productive and informative.

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

To give other people the opportunity I have experienced. Step Forward was only possible down to dedicated adults and enthusiastic attitudes - which to me, CP has in bucket loads.

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships.

 

NAME

Louise Matthews

AGE

17

Favourite project - give brief details

Through Creative Partnerships I had the opportunity to spend a week working with the Kneehigh Theatre Company. I gained a lot from spending the week with such inspiring people and feel it helped developed personal skills such as confidence and working with a variety of people. My favourite activities from the week included the imagination diary and making the short film. Though best of all was making our own shadow puppets and writing and performing a short piece which we were then asked to perform before the Kneehigh's evening performances for the general public.

 

Favourite Project - give brief details

Another project I enjoyed was working with Amanda Pickering and learning to play the African drums. Not only did we learn to play the drums but also a lot about African culture. I incorporated what I learnt from Amanda when we went to Garras Primary School to teach the infants how to play simple songs on the drums and talk to them about how the drums are used in African culture.

 

Favourite Project - give brief details

Speaking to the National Council of the Arts Council of England. A group of us spoke at their residential about the work we'd done with CP. It was particularly exciting to be asked by such important people what we thought could be done in education. They made me feel my views count especially when afterwards they wrote and thanked us and said

"your team had a profound impact on the National Council of the Arts Council of England. The entire Council agreed that the session on Creative Partnerships was the highlight of their whole two day retreat."

 

Skills gained

The main skill I have gained is confidence in myself. I now feel perfectly comfortable performing or presenting to a room full of people be they a class of 8 year olds or the National Council of the Arts Council of Great Britain.

How has this work benefited you as a person

I feel I have learnt a lot about how to work with many different types of people and feel comfortable doing so. I also think that through the numerous projects I have done with Creative Partnerships, I have gained a sense of responsibility. It has also given me the confidence to "have a go", to take chances and to network. I wrote to Kevin Spacey and got our school a free day at the Old Vic, I'm on the Youth Opportunities Fund Committee for my area responsible for a budget of over £81,000, I was invited to sit in on a meeting of Kerrier Council when they were considering their budget proposals for this year, I've been elected to the council of Truro College and finally I'm off to the Amazon this summer with the Royal Geographical Society researching the effects of climate change.

Why do you like working this way?

Through working this way one improves inter personal skills since you are working with people you previously didn't know. The age range in the groups also educates you as to how work is done in the adult world therefore equipping you for later life.

 

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

I think the work Creative Partnerships do is vital in providing personal development for young people. I am very lucky for all the opportunities I have had and believe that the projects Creative Partnerships provide for young people significantly broaden their horizons.

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Rebecca Carey

 

AGE

14

 

Favourite project - give brief details

Landings Project - we made a short film about an evacuee who meets an Americans soldier who is about to fight in the D-day landings

 

 

Skills gained

Script writing, working with others

 

 

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

Made me more open minded (particularly to other careers in the film industry) improved how I can work with others

 

 

 

 

Why do you like working this way?

It really feels like is our project, as opposed to it just being something the teachers have told us to do. It was nice to have more independence

 

 

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

It's provided us with a whole range of opportunities that I know we could not have gotten otherwise. I think it's important to do this type of work, because even people who don't do too well in school can gain confidence and have new paths opened up to them

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

 

Rhiannon Rowe

AGE

15

 

Favourite project - give brief details

Name: Film Festival (Screen Actions 06) marketing. As a group (Step Forward) we organised the marketing for the Cornish annual festival. This task involved a number of tasks that many of our group where inexperienced in. these included writing press releases, giving interviews, producing logos, designing posters and other promotional items.

 

Skills gained

· Writing in a different technical style (persuasive and informative letters).

· How to talk and behave in interviews.

· Developing exciting art skills.

· Also organisational skills due to the deadlines.

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

Mainly the confidence that you achieve though working with others (pupils from Mullion and other schools) and professionals. This has resulted in encouragement to undertake other projects, that develop other skills and experiences that contain new things and exciting interests (such as art for me.)

 

Why do you like working this way?

Working in this way is good because you have a sense of freedom but also a definite activity. When working you meet new people, not only from other schools but also from your own year or school. If you friends are also involved in your group as I do then this makes it so much fun. The ideas are all your own or group, which gives you a great sense of pride and achievement. Also the professionals that you work with are very supportive and friendly.

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

Mainly to continue experiencing new things and to develop new useful skills that I couldn't get from everyday school or normal day-to-day life. Meeting new people is always fun! Also personal reasons maybe to pursue career opportunities.

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Sophie Enever

 

AGE

16

 

Favourite project - give brief details

1) Week long residency with Kneehigh Theatre. Generally great fun. Doing all sorts of workshops, from puppet-making, to storyboarding, to games in which you must pretend to be an animal.

 

 

 

Favourite Project - give brief details

2) Film "Far From Home" for Landings project. Researching WWII costume, lifestyle and dance. Doing the dance routines in film, and for presenting the film at Trebah Gardens.

 

 

 

Skills gained

In project 1) Puppet making, filming, script writing, props, poetry, mind-mapping, recording thoughts and ideas, pasty making (!) and acting.

In project 2) Dancing, working with others.

 

 

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

Truly showed the excitement of artistic projects, particular performing. Learnt how to have fun while still focussing on the task at hand. Particularly with the Kneehigh it was easy to get carried away, but as the task itself was fun then distraction stopped being a problem.

 

 

Why do you like working this way?

Interacting with other people not only makes art and drama more enjoyable, but also sharing creative ideas and processes with others highly benefits one's own.

 

Another important thing about the projects I was involved with was the amount of input I, and other young people, had. They were our projects, which we were responsible for ourselves. The responsibility helped us to take it more seriously.

 

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

They create an opportunity for people to try new and exciting things which they may not have before had the confidence to do. They could discover a new passion, such as dancing for directing films, but they would also gain new social skills.

These projects not only benefit people in their artistic skills, but also help their thought processes to mature and grow.

 

 


Personal Statement about working with Creative Partnerships .

 

NAME

Tom Gaby

 

AGE

14

 

Favourite project - give brief details

Arts Award - I made a short film with Mrs Matthews and I am now waiting for someone to come and look at it so I can get my Bronze Arts Award.

 

Favourite Project - give brief details

Being apart of the Film Festival and getting to know so many people it is great and I learn so much from doing this as well

 

 

 

Skills gained

Lots of new skills I have learnt from doing all of this work. Talking to people. Taking notes at meetings. Thinking about what needs to be done to make an event successful. Listening to other people's ideas. Sitting in meetings even when they're boring.

 

 

How has this work benefited you as a person

It has befitted me in many ways I have gained so much from doing this work and I love it

I've been working with people I don't know lots from other schools and adults as well. This has given me more confidence in myself. I'm happier now talking about my ideas as I think people listen to me more.

 

 

 

 

 

Why do you like working this way?

I don't know - it's real, I just to do it, is something that keeps my mind on the task

 

 

 

 

Why would you like Creative Partnerships to continue and extend their work?

Because I want to learn so much more and I love doing this and meeting the people I have met. It would be nice for others to get to do this as well.