In its 5th event of 2008, Building Futures will be running a workshop with the National Youth Agency in the coastal town of Morecambe. The event is the second time the team will be working with young people to get them looking at the future of their community over the next 10 years and presents an great opportunity to widen the remit of the engagement toolkit.
The game playing event is part of a programme developed by the NYA and their partners Signposts – a Multi-Agency Resource Centre in Morecambe that aims to re-engage with youth groups in economically disadvantaged areas and give them a real opportunity to help infom the future of their community. Signposts works voluntarily and has developed a ‘youth offer’ of places to go and things to do for young people, including developing a Community Shop (where the event will be held) a programme of events and activities.
The Building Futures game event feeds into the research work of Signposts and The Young Researchers Network and looks at the next 10 years in the West End area of Morecambe. The West End has long been a neglected part of this seaside town, which like many is struggling to define itself in an age of mass tourism. Recent regenerative efforts have consentrated on the towns famous promenade, the event in August asks a Young Peoples Stakeholders Group to decide what improvements they want to to see happen and encourages them to come to some agreement on proposals.
Playing alongside the youth groups will be a team of adults with the exact same brief. This deliberate mix will highlight differences in priorities between age groups and provide a great opportunity to reconnect aspirations of the area.
