Introduction
Year 3 of the Authoring Our Own Stories project is in full swing, and I’m excited to introduce myself, I am Joshua Brown-Smith and I joined Partnership for Young London as a Youth Worker Apprentice, bringing valuable experience in working with young people.
My expertise has not only been a great addition to Partnership for Young London but to also Authoring Our Own Stories team, especially as we continue to explore how the Civic Identity of young Black and Asian people in London influences their access to youth support. Our methodology involves training young people to co-produce the work using arts-based practices to deliver our research projects.
This year, the peer researchers and I, have been collaborating closely with our partners, National Citizenship Service (NCS), Hoxton Hall, Spotlight, and the Young Advisors to Lewisham’s Young Mayor, to gain insights on how best to support young people. These partnerships are essential in ensuring positive outcomes for our project, our partners, and the young people involved.
Training
L to R Aaliyah, Anu, Ilaria, Marriam, Clara, Caron, Yash, Sharon, Sian, Sandra, Olu and Natasha
Our team of 10 Authoring Our Own Stories peer researchers brings unique skills and perspectives from their own lived experience. We started our work together with training led by Sandra Vacciana, the National Lead for Authoring Our Own Stories. We’ve also been fortunate to work with an amazing group of artists and volunteers on the project! This year, the group decided to focus on mental health as a key aspect of civic identity. Our training involved learning strategies to support our mental health as a team. Ilaria Di Fiore, a Youth Worker and visual artist, introduced us to mindfulness exercises that we’ve now integrated into our group practice. Through the training Sandra encouraged us to share hobbies like poetry knitting, and crochet that help us explore ideas and stay grounded. We incorporated these arts-based approaches into the training element of the programme. It has been important for us to learn more about looking after our mental health as well as exploring mental health as our core research theme.
Camelia, Sian, Ilaria, Anu, Yash and Clara
To deepen our learning, we also had a session with Alexa Asme, a Spoken Word artist, actress, and social activist. She shared how poetry can be used as a research tool, particularly in exploring themes related to mental health. By the end of her workshop, our peer researchers were engaged in solution-based activities, focusing on well-being and creating resources for young people and professionals in the youth sector. These discussions also highlighted gaps in mental health services that create barriers for young service users. Once the training was complete, we all worked collaboratively to develop the research project we wanted to deliver to young people from the organizations in our partnership.
My Space
My space is a tunnel with a water pipe that is waiting to burst, and it makes me confused and stuck
My space was inconsistent and noisy
My space allows me to dream, create fly, swim. Be everything I feel within
It didn’t allow me happiness, to love, to laugh or to be free. Yet at times I force it to yield to me
My space has no-one else to distract me from my thoughts
My space should have happiness, understanding, growth, self-esteem and self-love to improve my mental health.
An example of a group poem in our workshop with Aleksa Asme, July 2024
Fieldwork
Throughout the summer, our Year 3 cohort has been actively meeting with young people across London. They have been delivering workshops that allow participants to respond creatively to questions through three key activities: ‘The Wellbeing Gallery,’ ‘Kelly’s Dilemma,’ and a podcast-style discussion. These art-based activities have provided flexibility, accommodating the diverse backgrounds, learning styles, and needs of the participants. Our conversations have also informed the creation of resources we want to develop for professionals in the youth sector. Participants where asked questions which got them thinking about the issues which face them but also how they could solve those issues,
For example, questions included:
“What changes would you like to see in how mental health is addressed in your community, and how do you envision the future of mental health support young people from diverse backgrounds”?
When I was asked about my experience so far by our external partners, I said:
“I think the workshops have planted seeds in the minds of young people. Each session has been unique, reflecting the diverse views and perspectives on civic identity, civic spaces, and mental health. It has underscored the need for more national resources and changes within the youth sector as a whole."
Feedback to exploring the meaning of civic identity, civic space and explorations of mental health
Next Steps:
Looking ahead, our next steps involve analysing data, supporting peer researchers in engaging with decision-makers, and providing recommendations for upskilling the youth sector. As a group, we will continue to focus on promoting positive mental health and well-being, recognizing the need to bridge generational gaps, particularly within Black and Asian communities.
For more information about Authoring Our Own Stories please visit our website or contact the National Lead for the project sandra.vacciana@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Comments