Category Archives: Young People

Music & Drama – Young people’s programme

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Do you love music or drama? 

Want to create your own music? Devise a piece of drama? 

Starting in April and leading up to a performance as part of the Birchfield Jazz Festival on JULY 27TH 2019 there will be music and drama sessions for children aged 7 – 10 yrs and 11 – 14 yrs.

Sessions will take place at Grosvenor Road Studios, 16 Grosvenor Road B20 3NP from April to July 2019

For further information please contact: Ifa Yoruba Contemporary Arts Trust – Email: iycatuk@gmail.com

Gang member

Facing up to the challenge of violence and gangs

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source: The Guardian
published: 17 March 2019

Sally Weale shines a light on the British Red Cross initiative Life Not Knife (‘It’s about confidence’: pupils learn how to cope with attacks). While training teenagers in self-defence and first aid is to be welcomed, much more is needed, and this crisis cannot be left to charity.

In education, we need to start younger too. In some areas, there are huge pressures on children to be drawn into gangs. Many parents speak of this as a nightmare. What assistance should be given to primary school staff and parents to feel confident in opening up these conversations with 10- and 11-year-olds? Can we help children recognise the signs of grooming and build a culture of resistance to the temptations of initially “easy” money?

In 2000, the death of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor led me to research the lure of gangs for my novel Web of Lies. An 11-year-old London schoolboy later wrote to me that “the similarities between the lives of Femi [the main character] and myself left me wondering.

Wondering how two people can be so similar, wondering how you know so much what young boys are going through”. His strong identification with my Femi was troubling, yet also pointed to the potential for stories to open a “safe” space for discussion and debate. Other writers for young people have also written about the challenges of violence and gangs.

Read full article >

Article Image Credit : joetherasakdhi at www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Half-Term Youth Activities

Half-Term Youth Activities

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A selection of photos from the Young People’s Half-Term Project on Arts and Heritage run by Birchfield Big Local and Ifa Yoruba Contemporary Arts Trust.

The young people visited Soho House and Aston Hall – and engaged in music, dance and drama sessions at Grosvenor Road Studios.

For more information about future youth activities please contact Russell on 07419213430

Open Events November 2018 banner

BMet : Open Events November 2018

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At BMet’s Open Event find out about their fantastic facilities, choose from hundreds of courses including a wide range of apprenticeships and vocational areas covering art and design, sport, construction, built environment, travel & tourism, health & social care, uniformed public services as well as dental, medical, podiatry, music, performance arts, animal care and horticulture plus loads more.

Events take place at various locations on Saturday 24th November 2018 from 10am to 1pm

For A levels, visit our new A Level Centre at Sutton Coldfield College.

You will have the opportunity to apply, be interviewed and receive an offer on the day. *

* All offers subject to successful interview and meeting of entry criteria. Some courses require maths or English assessment and/or performance/auditions at interview and are therefore excluded from this offer.

The following sites will be open:

  • Art & Design Centre (ADC)

  • Erdington Skills Centre (ESC)

  • James Watt College (JW)

  • Kidderminster Academy (KA)

  • Matthew Boulton College (MB)

  • Stourbridge College (ST)

  • Sutton Coldfield College (SC)

  • The Botanical Gardens (BBG)

Click here for full details >

Young People's Half Term Project Poster

Arts and Heritage Project

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This half-term Birchfield Big Local and Ifa Yoruba Contemporary Arts Trust will be presenting a FREE arts and heritage project for local young people aged 8 – 16.

The project runs from Monday 29 October till Friday 2 November at Grosvenor Road Studios, 16 Grosvenor Road, Handsworth, Birmingham B20 3NP and will start each day at 10 am and finish at 3 pm.

The week will include a creative writing workshop, heritage workshop, music, dance and arts. There will be a trip to Soho House Museum and St Francis Centre and a film showing.

All tickets and transport will be provided for the trips out.
Download the flyer >

To find out more and book a place please contact iycatuk@gmail.com or call Russell at Birchfield Big Local on 07419213430.

Free Film Screenings: The must-see ‘Uprising’ series @ Birchfield Big Local

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“It is only when we come together as a community we can achieve common unity”

4 Films, 3 Weeks, To discuss one topic;
Today’s Society

The four film screenings taking place are:

Four Lions (15 September)
A group of young Muslim men living in Sheffield decide to wage Jihad and they hatch an inept plan to become suicide bombers.

Generation Revolution (22 September)
Stories of London’s new generation of black and brown activists, exploring the challenges these young people face.

They Live (22 September)
Nada, a wonderer without meaning in his life, discovers a pair of sunglasses capable of showing the world the way it truly is.

Freedom Writers (29 September)
A teacher in a racially divided school has a class of at-risk teenagers deemed incapable of learning. Instead of giving up she inspires her students.

Come down, watch a film and have your say!

Taking place at Birchfield Big Local
Grosvenor Road Studios, 16 Grosvenor Road, Birmingham B20 3NP

For further information contact:
Russell Green, E: russell@birchfieldbiglocal.org M: 07419 213 430

Download the flyer:  Front | Back

5 Palm Summer Playscheme 2018

5 Palm Summer Playscheme 2018

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Presenting the Birchfield Big Local 5 Palm Young People’s Summer Playscheme 2018.
Educate, Engage, Empower, Enterprise, Energy

Running from 23 July to 3rd August 2018
Monday’s, Wednesday’s & Friday’s : 10am to 3pm
For age groups 8 – 13 years old  (Download the flyer here)

Meeting @ Birchfield Big Local, 16 Grosvenor Road, Birchfield, Birmingham, B20 3NP

Charge : £10 per week / per child
Children should bring a packed lunch for each day they attend.

ACTIVITY SCHEDULE:
This may be subject to changes

Birchfield Jazz Festival : FREE
At St Mary’s Church
27th & 28th July 2018

Birchfield Big Local Fun Day : FREE
Handsworth Park – Next to The Boat House Cafe
29th July 2018

OTHER ACTIVITIES:
Further details will be provided.
There will be a range of other activities during the 2 weeks of the playscheme which will be shared with parents and young people by the Youth Team at Birchfield Big Local.

If you’re interested contact Russell Green (Youth Worker)
T: 07419 213430 E: russell@birchfieldbiglocal.org