Romany Lives

Forty-two children and young people, predominantly from Traveller communities in St Mary Cray in the Crays area of Bromley, worked together on the Romany Lives project to explore Traveller life in the locality.

They carried out research, collated photos and press cuttings and interviewed local Travellers. They also visited a site to see a traditional Gypsy wagon being built, went on a traditional Gypsy camp weekend and made a short film about their experiences. Artwork with support from a local artist was also produced. The project culminated in an exhibition at the Orpington Museum that aimed to raise awareness of Traveller culture.

Children's Choice

Two hundred and sixty-nine children and young people in Lambeth were consulted about what they wanted and expected when they visited their local GP or nurse. This led to the production of posters and leaflets that were displayed and distributed throughout GP practices. The materials focused on young people's right to express their views about local services.

The project contributed to the section on involving children and young people in Lambeth Primary Care Trust's Patient and Public Involvement Toolkit.

Quote: "The Children's Choice project has raised the profile of children's issues in the wider organisation." Daisy Camiwet, Lambeth Primary Care Trust

Media portrayal

Children and young people concerned about the negative portrayal of young people in the media took part in a range of workshop-based activities exploring the issue. They presented their views on the subject through written material and artwork, which was collated into a magazine. They also put together a short video.

Quote: "It was really inspiring to see young people engaging in 'political expression' - thinking about how messages about them are constructed - in an entertaining and fun way." Denise Roberts, The Voice

Quote: "I really enjoyed creating the poster and discussing the subject of young people with other young people. I also liked the games and competitions. It was a really fun day." Young person.