Saving John Loughborough by Shaniel Clarke

September 2012. It was my first time in England. I was only 15 when I had to leave Jamaica. It was the only place I knew as home. I had never travelled, and it was painful leaving my family behind. What made matters even worse was that when I arrived in London there was a shortage of schools. I was so bored. I missed my friends from back home but I couldn’t make any new ones here because I had no school!

After three months of searching, John Loughborough School rescued me. It took forever to settle down but eventually it happened. I felt like I belonged. I met some friends and I started to miss home less and less.

When I joined John Loughborough I knew it would be temporary. The Council officer who found me the place told my family that the school would be closing soon. At that moment I didn’t mind; I just wanted to get out of the house, start school and meet new people. I wasn’t aware how close I would get to the teachers and staff there; so close I now consider some of them family.

Then, on 17 April 2013, reality hit. Haringey Council officially announced their final decision to close the school due to failing Ofsted twice. That obviously isn’t good for anyone: the school, the teachers or the students. Other reasons include the low number of students at the school and the low grades historically achieved.

It was shocking, even though we knew it was coming. I had always just hoped they would reconsider; I just thought that someone somewhere would save John Loughborough from closure.

Everyone was talking about GCSEs. Being in year 10 meant we were worried that changing school would mean completing our studies with a different exam board with a different curriculum. This would mean having to pack two years’ study into one year. All we had studied previously would mean nothing at all.

Most of my fellow students thought we would be lucky to finish school with only five GCSEs, as we would have to reduce our subjects to get everything done. There was panic among the students, but I was one of the few that still had hope. We had put our faith in God’s hands because, even though the Council had made their decision, our head teacher, Dr. Edwena McFarquhar, said that  MP Michael Gove, Secretary of State will have the final say.

The Council states that it has the students’ best interests at heart but closing John Loughborough and disrupting our education is not what’s best for us.

Plus students’ progress has improved, and it is only a short time before we will see this in the exam results.

We are used to our little school family. Separating us or placing us in a different environment would be counter-productive. We have to learn a new syllabus, and in a new school that makes us nervous and uncomfortable. Is that what we need?

Community members and parents have lobbied the Council, expressing how we feel. They’ve written letters as well, but they still haven’t heard our plea. My personal plea is to give us more time and demonstrate patience.

It’s clear they made a decision to close my school a long time ago, before considering all the appeals that have been made over the past few months.

At John Loughborough, we believe that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We recognise that we haven’t met Haringey Council and Ofsted standards but we have improved massively.

The final decision is not up to the Council anymore. It lies with Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Education and with God. I hope that both make the right decision for the sake of all students at John Loughborough School.

Craig Park Youth gets Exposure

Craig Park Youth Centre (artist’s impression)

Exposure has been commissioned by Enfield Council’s Youth Support Service to lead a media-learning programme at the newly refurbished Craig Park Youth Centre in Edmonton.

Young people at the Centre will have the opportunity to develop their graphic design skills using the latest equipment and software with support from experienced professionals from north London’s award winning youth media enterprise.

Rafique Ullah, Centre Manager, said, “Exposure has a strong track record and demonstrated that they really care about young people. We are delighted that they are joining us as the Centre develops.”

Exposure’s Manager, Andreas Koumi, said, “Craig Park Youth Centre has been transformed into a stunning place of positivity and inspiration. We’re really pleased to be working with the people there and look forward to establishing a strong partnership.”

Cllr Bambos Charalambous, Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture & Youth, said, “Offering an appealing programme will attract young people to learn more. It’s a real mix of learning and fun in a great environment.

“Craig Park Youth Centre is a superb custom-built centre designed by young local people who were successful over three years ago winning Lottery funding to recreate a centre that not only serves young people but will also act as a hub for the local community.”

Exposure’s learning programme is scheduled to start on Tuesday 7 May 2013. Sessions will run from 3.30pm to 9.30pm every Tuesday and Thursday at Craig Park Youth Centre, 2 Lawrence Road, Baxter Road, Edmonton N18 2HN.

For more information please call 020 8883 0260 or email fran@exposure.org.uk.

News on Exposure plans to relaunch its website

Sneak peek at our all-singing, all-dancing new website… out soon!

In the spirit of Alexandra Palace, the birthplace of broadcast television, Exposure’s vision is to be a new generation communications beacon – from north London to the world. At a time when digital technology has revolutionised how young people engage with the media, it’s a challenging goal for an organisation best known for publishing a hard copy youth magazine.

Speaking at the Levenson enquiry on the future of print journalism, Rupert Murdoch admitted, “The day will come when we’ll just have to say, ‘It’s not working, we can’t afford all the trucks, we can’t afford all the huge presses and so on’, and we’ll be purely electronic.”

What’s true for Murdoch and the mainstream media has proved doubly so for Exposure, where local government cuts resulted in the loss of a third of our income and an inevitable change of emphasis. In the early days, Exposure youth magazine came out monthly; now, finances permitting, we’re lucky if it’s quarterly.

We’ve had to go with the flow. Trends show that, for 16 to 24-year-olds, television, radio and print media access has been eclipsed by the internet. Digital technology means it’s easier both to create and consume media content, with Facebook, Twitter and YouTube becoming important conduits for exchange, increasing volume and reach. As a result, alternative media is in a position to challenge the hitherto monopoly of the mainstream.

A new media sector – specific to a geographically defined community – has arisen, able to create new opportunities, reach new audiences and fill new gaps in the market. Termed ‘hyperlocal’ media, it’s a sector in which Exposure has been determined to carve its own niche.

Two years ago, after consultation with our young contributors, Exposure revamped its internet presence with a colourful new website, an associated blog and more proactive use of social media. Indeed we made social media an intrinsic part of our accredited media-learning programme.

Our new website now receives an average of 300 unique visits per day. We’ve managed to attract nearly 2,000 followers through our social media networks. Exposure magazine has been downloaded over 50,000 times on issuu.com (a magazine sharing website) while Exposure’s videos have been viewed over 200,000 times on YouTube.

Building on this, we’ve now secured seed funding from Haringey Youth Service and the London Community Foundation to evolve www.exposure.org.uk into an interactive community hub for young north Londoners – essentially migrating and expanding Exposure’s magazine publishing activities online, and enhancing these with complementary video and audio content.

Going forward we intend to establish media training hubs across north London, equipping young people with the skills to develop compelling content. In time, Exposure’s website will become a leading social influence for good, celebrating young people’s achievements, rewarding their commitment and championing their rights.

Well, that’s the vision…

Two Exposure alumni named ‘Future 50’ Young Social Entrepreneurs

Two Exposure ‘veterans’ have been announced as ‘Future 50′ Young Social Entrepreneurs of 2013 at a reception hosted by Ernst & Young and organised by Striding Out CIC. That means 4% of this year’s winners first plied their trade at Exposure!

Ex-Magazine Editor David Floyd (who now runs the social enterprise ‘Social Spider’) and ex-Media Project Coordinator Aysha Julie (who now runs youth charity ‘The Gifted’) were both recognised for their entrepreneurial flair and innovation in running a responsible business venture; balancing economic, environmental and social goals to achieve ultimate business success.

“It’s a tremendous achievement for David and Aysha and proof, if proof were needed, of the wider, longer term benefits of Exposure’s work,” said Exposure’s manager, Andreas Koumi.

Aysha and David will join the Ernst & Young Accelerate network, gaining access to skilled business support through a series of networking and learning events.

It’s hoped Exposure’s latest project, ‘North London Apprentice’ – enabling teenagers to learn basic business and communications skills so as to plan pitches, develop arguments and present ideas to corporate clients – will ensure more Exposure young people will become the social entrepreneurs of the future.

The target is to increase Exposure’s percentage of Future 50 winners to at least 10%.
 
The Future 50 awards encourage and reward extraordinary vision, ethical business practice and social responsibility. They aim to showcase businesses that offer innovative and sustainable solutions to social problems. 

Joelle Selt’s healthy summer recipe

Burger ingredients:
1 kg beef mincemeat (for four people)
1 onion
1 cup of breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tablespoon of ketchup
1 tablespoon of BBQ or HP sauce
Chopped Parsley
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Dried chillies

How to prepare:
Place the mincemeat into a large bowl. Once you’ve chopped your onion finely, add to the bowl and mix in the mincemeat. Be mindful that some people may not like too much onion in their burgers. If that’s the case then make sure you leave aside some mincemeat so that you can prepare this with less onions for your guests.

Add 1 cup of breadcrumbs, 1 egg and a tablespoon of ketchup and BBQ or HP sauce into the mixture before mixing together. Then season the burger mix with chopped parsley, a sprinkle of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add just a pinch or two of dried chillies. Be careful not to add too much or it will be too hot for some of your guests.

Once all the ingredients are mixed together, cover the bowl and leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight.

How to cook: 
You can either cook the burgers on a BBQ or in your kitchen grill.

If you choose to cook them in your kitchen grill, then make sure that you place some tin foil at the bottom of the tray before placing the metal wire on top where the burgers will be cooked on. The tin foil will prevent the juices from burning onto the metal tray.

Make sure the mixture is spread out enough to have plenty of room to cook on. Keep in mind that the burgers will shrink while cooking, so make sure that they are formed not too small before cooking. They must be between 2-3 cm deep.

Make sure both sides are cooked properly by checking there is no pink meat in sight, at least 10 minutes on either side. Some people may like their burgers done rare, so make sure you carefully cut into one of the burgers to see if there is any red or pink meat inside.

Once your burgers are cooked, you can choose which side meal to eat with them, such as salad, jacket potato, corn on the cob.

Youth media enterprise opens its doors to the public

Exposure is pleased to announce that it will be holding an Open Day, at its home in the Muswell Hill Centre in Hillfield Park N10. Doors will open between 2pm and 8pm on Tuesday 9th April 2013, enabling community elders to meet Exposure’s young people, staff and trustees, and find out more about Exposure’s award-winning activities.

Guests will enjoy a programme of events, including talks by young people, a screening of Exposure’s recent short films such as the popular comedy drama ‘Teen London’, an exhibition on Autism by some of Exposure’s young graphic artists, and a tour of the Exposure office. There will be time for guests to chat to young people over (soft) drinks and nibbles.

The idea for the event came after five of Exposure’s young people presented to the Alexandra, Fortis Green, Highgate and Muswell Hill Area Forum, enthralling those in attendance, and leaving them wanting more.

Cllr Gail Engert, chair of the Forum said, “Local residents, council officers and councillors really appreciated the thought provoking presentation. We’re pleased to support Exposure’s Open Day as it will be a great opportunity for local people to see more of the amazing creative work youngsters are delivering on our doorstep.”

People are free to drop in and out, as they please, with the Open Day programme of events repeated three times: at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm.

For more details call 020 8883 0260 or email info@exposure.org.uk

Health in motion

Youth media charity Exposure is proud to announce the completion of an exciting creative project commissioned by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

The brief was to design and develop three animated sequences and three associated interactive flash games as educational tools to introduce users to a new web-based mental health service called www.myhealthlockerlondon.nhs.uk

Myhealthlocker has been developed to encourage young people to become more involved in their own treatment and recovery. Exposure’s role was to create an engaging way to capture young people’s interest so as to inform them about the new service and how to use it.

To deliver the work, Exposure assembled a team of experienced freelance creatives combined with two talented young people. Both youngsters have been volunteering for Exposure for some time and both fall within the autistic spectrum. Exposure was delighted to be able to reward their commitment. 

The young people were able to gain valuable experience as  junior freelancers, learning more about professionalism, meeting deadlines, working in a team and responding to client needs. Both now have something very tangible to include in their CVs and creative portfolios.

The client was blown away by the quality of the work delivered.

“It was a pleasure to discover Exposure when we were looking to commission our work to develop a range of animations and games. We were looking for a company that reflected our values of involvement, honesty and quality. This is why Exposure was an easy choice. In developing tools that support young people with mental health problems we really wanted to ensure we had young people inputting and involved with this work and this is exactly what Exposure provided. Not just a strong portfolio of previous work demonstrating their quality but a charity that supports young people from a wide variety of backgrounds by teaching them media skills and getting them involved in their commissioned work. Exposure pulled out all the stops for this project where the deadlines were extremely tight and required a quick turnaround, delivering to budget and to schedule. It was pleasure working together and I would thoroughly recommend their services.”

David Newton Senior Project Manager eMPOWERMENT Team South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

The Exposure team was as follows:
• Luke Pantelidou (Senior illustrator and director)
• Marian Femenías Morantinos (Senior animator)
• Damian Hozier (Music producer & sound designer)
• Davide Mellis (Interactive game coder)
• Duane Uba (Junior – character concept illustrator & animator)
• Joelle Selt (Junior – character concept illustrator)

- Notes -
Exposure is an award winning youth media enterprise with a long and successful tack record of harnessing young people’s vitality and vision to create powerful, contemporary media products for a variety of funders and clients.

Exposure tucks into adolescent obesity media work in Enfield

Exposure has been commissioned to undertake a podcast, poster, magazine, social media and video campaign to help tackle adolescent obesity in Enfield.

Evidence shows that Enfield’s young people are more likely to be overweight compared with the national average, with nearly 40% of 10/11 year olds now growing up overweight or obese in the borough.

“Sadly, many young people’s lifestyle – regularly eating fast food and spending hours on their mobile phones every day – is having a detrimental effect on their health. We need to change this,” said Exposure’s Media Trainer, Fran O’Connell who will be overseeing the film element of the campaign.

Commissioned by Healthy Enfield and Enfield Council’s Youth Support Service, Exposure’s campaign will enable local teenagers to explore ways of living more healthily, developing powerful communications promoting a balanced diet and regular exercise to their peers.

Cllr Ayfer Orhan, Enfield Council’s cabinet member for children and young people said, “This is an excellent way to get the message across and now, with such a strong focus on the quality of the food we eat, it is time to promote good fresh food and healthy living.”

Cath Fenton, Consultant in Public Health in Enfield said, “We’re pleased to be working with the local organisation Exposure to undertake this important work. We need to ensure Enfield’s young people are given informed choices about their health. Involving young people in the creation of messages ensures that these are provided in the most relevant language and effective way to promote health.”

- Notes -
Exposure is a multi-award winning youth media charity based in Muswell Hill in north London with a mission to equip young people with the skills they need to thrive in the media, for the good of others as well as themselves.

Healthy Enfield is a partnership for improving health in Enfield. The Healthy Enfield brand was created in 2009 to co-ordinate health improvement activity under one banner to increase its impact. Healthy Enfield is used on a range projects that help to improve the health of Enfield residents.

Philip Goldsmith profiles Wood Green youth dance company Streetz Ahead

Elizabeth Lahav has a thing or two to say about street dance. Over the past 18 years, 10,000 young people have been part of the Haringey-based dance company Streetz Ahead. As its founder, Elizabeth has experienced first-hand the benefits the project has on those involved.

When asked what she has seen members get out of street dance, she says they can release their inhibitions and express themselves without feeling judged.

Many of the 300 kids taught in schools and evening classes every week have problems with anxiety or depression. Elizabeth says dancing helps them overcome these difficulties. She also emphasises the importance of performing to an audience.

Musical
Streetz Ahead puts on three shows every year. So far in 2013, this has included the funny, lively, well written and impressively choreographed ‘Love No Evil’, a musical love story set on the streets of present day London. Shown at the Finchley Arts Depot, the production featured dancing and acting by children from various local schools as well as teenagers who do classes at the Chocolate Factory – Streetz Ahead’s Wood Green base.

Infectious
The songs were highly infectious and featured a tune sung by a fish-market seller. In addition to being on stage, youngsters get the chance to make a pop video with them strutting their stuff. In summer 2012 there was even a flash mob, with a plethora of kids from this pioneering collective taking to the streets to show off their skills to the unsuspecting public in Wood Green High Road. The crowd was receptive and positively enthralled as the dancers moved to a medley of rousing tunes.

Elizabeth admits that weekly, hour-long rehearsals with the schools isn’t much practice when you consider the scope of their performances but she stresses that the purpose of showcases, such as February’s musical ‘Never Give Up’, is to give the young people the opportunity to be part of a professional act, regardless of their level of ability.

Self-belief
Elizabeth says the shows build self-belief through teamwork. Many of the kids do not receive a great deal of praise or compliments in their everyday life. Therefore, being the focus of attention and being applauded by a crowd can be good for their self-esteem. All Elizabeth and her nine co-workers look for in the dancers is passion, the determination to do their best and a team orientated attitude. In keeping with the troupes philosophy of inclusion, the dancers all receive t-shirts sporting the Streetz Ahead logo, certificates and medals as a reward for their efforts. When asked how rewarding a process it is to run Streetz Ahead, Elizabeth says that, as it’s a charity, monetary gain is low but seeing the children growing in confidence is priceless.

Success stories
However, that isn’t to say that the group is without its long-term success stories. The brightest and best young people are invited to take part in the more advanced group that has its own production plus the opportunity to go on tours and be involved in filming. What’s more, Elizabeth has seen at least ten of her protégés go on to join professional dance companies or vocational schools.

She says that if Streetz Ahead can give them a taste of dance and then they go on to pursue this through further education, then they have achieved something special. There are also testimonials from schools. Kids who take part in the classes are frequently reported by head teachers to be doing well, with marked improvements academically and in behaviour. Something else for Streets Ahead to celebrate is the fact that a lot of its dancers stay on for years and eventually become part of the company’s teaching team.

Celebrity treatment
Aside from their main goal of teaching dance, Streetz Ahead offers a number of services to the public. For a fee, people can create their own pop video at the Chocolate Factory, with friends as part of a party. They receive celebrity treatment and pampering and are taught by top choreographers who have worked with pop stars. As a memento, each participant is given a DVD of the day. Then there’s the ‘Record a Song Experience’. This enables people to make a professional recording of themselves, singing the song of their choice – with friends or individually. This takes place in a professional studio with an engineer. Punters are rewarded with a CD of their vocal exploits.

TV spoofs
The dynamic creative hub also offers bespoke film projects. These include films for weddings, as well as helping people make their own TV spoofs of programmes like Crime Watch, The Apprentice and more. Finally, there are bespoke email greetings – a video alternative to sending a Christmas or birthday card. The income generated from these activities is reinvested into Streetz Ahead’s charitable work.

Recognition
Being recognised in Exposure is really important to Elizabeth and her team. She wants to bring her unique brand of movement to the masses, giving as many kids access as possible. As a registered charity, the company will fund the participation of children who cannot afford to take part. The Magic Of Dance – the company’s slogan – lies not in a young person’s ability or skills but what they can gain out of it.

For more information about Streetz Ahead contact:

Elizabeth Harry
Streetz Ahead
Building D, Clarendon Road
Wood Green N22 6XJ
07940 513311
elizabethharry@hotmail.co.uk

This profile was written by Philip Goldsmith, a young volunteer journalist for Exposure Organisation Limited. Based in Muswell Hill, Exposure’s mission is to equip young people with the skills they need to thrive in the media – for the good of otherwise as well as themselves.

Youth media charity launches North London Apprentice

Exposure is giving young people in north London the chance to pitch their ideas to big business in a real life version of The Apprentice.

With support from The Co-operative’s Community Fund, the charitable youth media enterprise Exposure is launching ‘North London Apprentice’, a programme of workshops for teenagers to learn basic business and communications skills so as to plan their pitches, develop their arguments and present their ideas. The scheme will culminate in the young people walking into corporate boardrooms to present to the big bosses.

Based in Muswell Hill, Exposure has won an array of awards for its groundbreaking work with young people, harnessing their talents in the delivery of creative services to other charities, public bodies and businesses.

North London Apprentice will train young people themselves to sell Exposure’s services to big name clients. Part of the training will take place at The Petchey Academy in Hackney where some Year 9 students of Business and Economics have taken up the challenge of getting a meeting with bosses to sell their idea.

Exposure’s Manager, Andreas Koumi, said: “This isn’t about asking corporates for pro bono support or charitable hand-outs but convincing them there is an untapped voice that can help them communicate more effectively to a valuable section of the market. Banks, insurance companies and media agencies need to talk to young people – we can help.”

The programme will be led by Exposure’s Business Development Specialist, Stephen Gardiner, who said: “I am so pleased that The Co-operative has made North London Apprentice possible. We’ll have succeeded enough if we manage to get young people into the unknown and hostile environment of corporate boardrooms, talking passionately and eloquently about what they can offer. The icing on the cake will be when we win some business!”

Rona Joiner, The Co-operative’s Membership Officer for North London said: “Supporting local community initiatives, such as Exposure, has always been an inherent part of The Co-operative’s values and principles since the very beginning of the Co-operative Movement. We are particularly proud of the Community Fund, as it demonstrates how the generosity of our members can make a real difference in their local area.”

If you are a young person who would like to take part in this exciting experience or if you are a company that wants to know how to communicate with the youth market and get results, please contact stephen@exposure.org.uk.