Back in May this year we started working with young people in Stockport as part of our new Youth Alliance project funded by Stockport Council. (See more about the project in this previous blog). As part of the funding, we need to work with young people to put on two events a year - the first one was this one. We decided on a wellbeing theme, based on our initial group analysis of the Bee Well survey - a survey looking at wellbeing of young people across GM.
From our core L!STEN group, we had six young people volunteer to help plan and run the event. Big congratulations & thank you to Naya, Rex, Tom, Josh, Sophie and Evie who worked so hard to plan this event in such a short space of time.
The event itself ran from 11-2pm on Wednesday 30th August and by 10.55 there was a queue outside the Adswood Youth Centre as people arrived to enjoy the day! We weren't expecting so many people to arrive so early!
The activities got underway straight away, including this impressive list:
Bracelet making & Creating postcards
Reiki
VR games
Face Glitter/ Temporary tattoos.
Mindful Colouring
Board games
Cupcake decorating
Making music with Lee
Poetry with Antony
Parachute games
Photo booth/ props
Wellbeing Marketplace
‘Open Mic Corner’
Bingo
Party games
Silent Disco
There was something for everyone and it was amazing to see so many young people (and their families) spending time enjoying themselves, looking after themselves and taking time to relax ahead of the new school term. At 12pm lunch was served with catering from the Autisk team and the amazing Arabic Cafe at Heaton Norris Community Centre. After lunch we had pass the parcel and musical statues hosted by Antony and Lee, as well as a visit from Steve from Boost who led an impromptu boxing session for us in the playground.
The afternoon ended with a visit from Dean the Ice Cream man and then our raffle. Thank you so much to all of the local companies who donated prizes which helped us to raise over £100 to support upcoming L!STEN events! Thank you to Life Leisure, Stockport County Community Trust, Black Spot Pizza, I Knead Pizza, The Light Cinema, Breakout Manchester, Kingfisher Gym, Nourish Northern Mamas, Jen Samani at Make Build Grow, Regent Cinema Marple and Tesco Stockport. Everyone who came along to the event also received free raffle tickets to ensure that everyone had the chance to win prizes.
All attendees (almost all - we actually ran out!) received a goody bag that was designed by the young people to help support their ongoing wellbeing, here's what they included:
We were so pleased to welcome a number of council staff to the event as well to share the work we have been doing so far. It was also great to have Caroline from Stockport Libraries and Georgie from The Proud Trust who ran stalls on the day and spoke to young people about wider wellbeing.
Beth had this to say, "It was amazing to see the Stockport Community get behind a Wellbeing Festival for Young People. I was so proud of the young people who planned and ran this event in less than a month - it is an honour to get to work with these young people and make true they are empowered and listened to within their community."
Rex, one of the young people who helped plan and run the event, said “Planning and working at the event was really fun! It was a lot of hard work, but seeing everything come together made it worth it!”
Megan Mayhew from Stockport Council shared this, "L!sten, Stockport’s Youth Alliance put on an incredible wellbeing day for young people last week. It was in response to some of the challenges young people highlighted in GM’s #Beewell survey. The event had a huge, diverse turnout and young people had arranged the whole day!
I am so proud to be supporting L!sten from Stockport Council.
PIE have only been developing the group since May, with support of Autisk and R Time and it is already having an impact and shows the importance of working with community organisations who young people know and trust. We want young people to be heard, and have a say in the things that matter to them. I can’t wait for the Youth Summit to take place in February, which will be even bigger and better!"
Thanks so much to everyone who supported and came along to the event and we can't wait to continue the work of the L!STEN Youth Alliance!