CLAPPERBOARD YOUTH PROJECT, MERSEYSIDE, 2009

‘Sexuality and Gender’ and  ‘The Environment’

Building on the success of the Clapperboard Youth Film-making Project over the past four years in Merseyside and more recently Greater Manchester on the issues of Gun, Knife and Gang Culture, Clapperboard UK Ltd is currently looking for partners, funders and/or sponsors for 2009 to support this year’s topics chosen by Clapperboard’s young Active Citizens Panel.

Gun, Knife and Gang Culture will still be explored due to overlapping commitments and the amount of interest this issue has raised.

2009 is the official year of the ‘Environment’ and this will be one of the issues we will explore through film. We will also enable film groups to make films on the issue of ‘Sexuality and Gender’. Clapperboard UK in partnership with young people, the voluntary sector and relevant youth organisations and with community writers and film production companies will produce a number of short films tackling a range of issues mentioned above.  The films will then be exhibited to a diverse audience including, young people, parents/guardians, schools, partners, etc., at an award style event to celebrate the involvement and achievements of the young people involved.  The short films will be distributed to schools and youth agencies throughout Gtr Manchester and Merseyside respectively.

The short films will be produced in the most deprived areas of Greater Manchester and Merseyside respectively, with young people who are most at risk of joining gangs, offending, exclusion or have been excluded from school, or those who are deemed "hard to reach”.

Once the groups, (15-20 young people in each group) have been identified from a mixture of youth and community organisations and schools, each will work with a professional script writer who will support them in the film script development process. The script will then be storyboarded and prepared for the involvement of a local film production company who will work closely with the groups teaching them to produce their films.

Initial development work has already been undertaken and most working partners are in place.

Trustees of Clapperboard UK include Councillor Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council , Award Winning Writers, Frank Cottrell Boyce (24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE, MILLIONS) and Paul Abbott (SHAMELESS), Carolyn Reynolds, Chief Executive, Lime Pictures (HOLLYOAKS,  APPARITIONS).  

Clapperboard Active Citizens Panel
The young students involved in last year’s Merseyside project on Gun, Knife and Gang Culture have been involved in a consultation process, having an input in developing the idea of this year’s project.  The Clapperboard Active Citizens Panel (The Panel) is our newly developed commitment to ‘active citizenship’ for the purpose of further consultation, evaluation, monitoring and development.   We now have twelve young people between the ages of 12-17 who are actively involved in Clapperboard projects.

Education Packs 
Merseyside Police is a new partner of Clapperboard UK and have commissioned DVD’s and education packs to be delivered to Secondary schools across Merseyside.  We are presently seeking funding and sponsorship to produce 2000 DVD education packs for use by Greater Manchester schools, youth workers and other relevant organisations throughout the North West with The Panel’s involvement.

Clapperboard Award Ceremony
At project end all practitioners, partners, peers, families, funders, sponsors etc, come together at a celebratory award ceremony.  Up to 1,500 attended the Philharmonic Hall to celebrate the achievement and diversity of the young Merseyside participants which was a great opportunity for good public relations and networking as well as sponsorship opportunities for partners and associates.  This year’s North West Awards Ceremony takes place at the Quay’s Theatre in the Lowry Centre, Salford, on Monday 20 April, 7pm.  The Panel will also have an active input.

Last year the following Merseyside schools were involved : Alsop High, Academy of St Francis of Assisi, De le Salle, Archbishop Beck, Halewood Comprehensive and Liverpool Youth Service.

This year we are already working with young people from Knowsley Roundabout Youth Centre, Salford Schools, Oldham College and Oldham woman’s group ‘Our Reflection’.

For copies of DVD’s please do not hesitate to contact:
Maureen Sinclair, Director
Clapperboard UK Ltd
2nd Floor Lancaster House
Mercury Court,Tithebarn Street
Liverpool, L2 2QE
Tel: 0151 224 0532 or Mob: 07973 783140
Email:

JACQUI SMITH • Home Secretary
“Celebrating the achievements of young people and ensuring that they can participate in the public debates on guns, knives and gangs is absolutely key in making them part of the solution to those problems.Too often, young people are seen merely as part the problem - and it is young people like those who have taken part in this programme who can help change that perception.”
>> Click here for the Video Link <<