SPUD Youth - Winchester and Bournemouth
SPUD Youth groups are based in Bournemouth and Winchester and provide unique opportunities for young people of all abilities (aged 14 – 21) to engage with and learn about urban design, architecture and the built environment. The groups of young people will have an opportunity to shape the places they live, build a dialogue with community leaders and local council officials.
SPUD provides a voice for young people about placemaking in their community.
Despite the success of SPUD Youth we have struggled to find funding to maintain the existing groups and set up new groups, largely due to the significant cuts in local authority funding.
How will the project be run?
We intend to continue offering regular after school SPUD workshop for young people once a week from October 2013 from premises in Winchester and are developing a new group to be launched in Bournemouth (Pokesdown/Boscombe area) from January 2014. Plus the potential for outreach workshops in surrounding areas. Each weekly workshop last 2 hours and will be able to accommodate up to 15 students.
What are the benefits for young people?
Young people from the area will have the opportunity to work with professional architects and designers, learning a breadth of new skills and knowledge that will enhance their existing studies, add significantly to their portfolios and help them stand out from others particularly in terms of college applications. They will be able to work on live design proposals and present their ideas and opinions to councillors, local authority officers and other professionals. SPUD Youth aims to give young people a real voice amongst decision makers in the region. Our view is that the experts on how a particular place works are the members of the community that live there.
SPUD Youth is a an award winning extra-curricular programme for young people aged 14 and upwards who are interested in architecture, urban design and public art. Our series of hands on workshops have already been successfully delivered in Winchester and Southampton, and now SPUD are planning to launch a new project in Bournemouth, giving young people the chance to work on real development projects and develop a vision for the future of their neighbourhood.
Despite the success of SPUD Youth we have struggled to find funding to maintain the existing groups and set up new groups, largely due to the significant cuts in local authority funding.
What are the benefits for young people?
Young people from the area will have the opportunity to work with professional architects and designers, learning a breadth of new skills and knowledge that will enhance their existing studies, add significantly to their portfolios and help them stand out from others particularly in terms of college applications. They will be able to work on live design proposals and present their ideas and opinions to councillors, local authority officers and other professionals. SPUD Youth aims to give young people a real voice amongst decision makers in the region. Our view is that the experts on how a particular place works are the members of the community that live there.
Key outcomes:
disparate groups of young people quickly establish a team mentality • key issues are rapidly grasped and the need for improvements are clearly identified • creates varied responses and inputs with enthusiasm and engagement • generates a diverse range of design ideas • develops confidence in public speaking and presentation skills • provides a real opportunity to work with a range of professionals • allows students from diverse backgrounds and abilities to come together, share and support and have their voices heard • contributes significantly to success at interview • opportunity to gain accreditation through the Arts Award
What people have said about SPUD Youth
“It was nice to be able to share the problems in our local area and actually have someone that wants to hear about them and is concerned about our opinions – hopefully something will happen now”
Ellie (aged13, SPUD Youth)
“The decisions we make today will affect the young people and their futures when they are starting their own families.”
Cllr Ken Moon, East Hants
“I think a good outcome is that the councilors and planners listen to the opinions of young people and pay attention to what they want in our new communities.”
Simon Eden, Chief Executive, Winchester City Council
How much funding are we requesting?
£1000. This will contribute to materials and printing, heating and lighting of the premises, some second-hand furniture, site trips, providing refreshments at the workshops and staffing costs. Our costs will be kept low by locating in a freely provided empty shop units, using materials from the local Scrapstores and gaining participation of local built environment professionals on a voluntary basis.