2024 Cooperative Case Studies
- May 2024
- Lead Member Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
- Categories Young People
A Partnership Between Sandwell Advocacy, iSandwell and Sandwell CVO.
Sandwell Advocacy has been supporting vulnerable young people since 1993. Many people do not necessarily understand what advocacy is and the important part it plays in peoples lives, this project wanted to address this by creating a wide variety of information across a number of media platforms. Working together with the innovative iSandwell (a project dedicated to delivering digital inclusion across the area) and young people who access the services we set about making sure as many people in Sandwell understood and supported the Advocacy.
The project kicked off with a multimedia Hackathon, this engaged local programmers and allowed young people to start designing a new look for Sandwell Advocacy. A complete change in all aspects of our social media was decided upon and over the next few months young people redesigned the services web, Facebook and twitter sites; working with a local producer they were able to create a number of films that focused on the life experiences they had experienced and how Advocacy was vital in supporting and empowering them. In addition to this young people ‘Postcard Advocacy’ designing and created a wide range of postcards that delivered the Advocacy message in creative imagery.
The young people had the opportunity to have their voices listened to and were able to take a leading role in the direction and design of the services used, enabling them to feel empowered and valued. Young people’s confidence and skills improved both emotionally and practically and will be able to take these new skills forward; using them on a daily basis.
