myplace competition winner has a bright future in photography
It's clear that Lucy Grange is a deserving winner of the myplacephoto competition, and not just because she'll be using her prize digital SLR camera to take more brilliant band photos.
First of all, she's only been interested in photography since her whole family took it up four years ago:
"In the summer of 2006 my grandfather passed away and dad got his camera, so my family all joined a camera club."
Lucy and her brother enjoyed their new hobby so much, they both decided to turn photography into a career:
"My brother and I are both doing camera courses. I'm studying for my BA (Hons) Degree at the Cleveland College of Art and Design in Hartlepool."
Lucy has two years left in her degree, and although she hasn't decided what she wants to do yet, she's keen to get as much work experience as she can.
Mike Young, project manager at the Northern Lights Academy in Hartlepool, encouraged her to enter photography competitions, and myplace have been the first to recognise her talent - this is the first competition she's won.
Lucy isn't keeping her success all to herself however, she's decided to share her talent with other young people - showing why she's such a worthy myplacechampion:
"When I was at St Hild's school taking photos, they asked me if I'd like to go back to help out on their Careers Day, so I'm going to set up a studio (for them)."
Lucy thinks all young people should be able to enjoy photography, and that schools should be helping them do it:
"I think instead of just talking about it, (young people) should be getting involved. Photography should be introduced earlier to schools, it should be encouraged more."
In fact, it was while she was taking the winning photo that the school asked Lucy to come back and help them out:
"It's funny that I met the band in the picture at the school where I'll soon be doing my own workshop."
Although she's not sure what direction she'll take in her career, Lucy thinks her strength lies in taking band photos, which her competition-winning photo is certainly evidence of:
"I've recently gotten back into taking pictures of bands. I enjoy working with people, and the type of people (who are) in bands are quite energetic, and it works well with the photos I like to take."
When Lucy heard she'd won the myplacecompetition she called her brother straight away, as she knew he'd be just as excited as her.
"My brother Peter is a really talented photographer too. We get on like friends more than brother and sister. We take photos together and we've even done band shoots together."
They get on so well that Lucy's even decided to share her prize camera with him, something not all sisters would be willing to do!
Getting on so well and both being passionate about photography might have its benefits, like sharing cameras, but Lucy's not ready to start a family business just yet:
"If we do it'll be me doing all the paperwork, he may be talented, but he's not the most organised person!"
Finally, Lucy has earned her status as myplacephotographer of the year by showing she hasn't let the fame go to her head:
"Thank you to everyone, especially to Mike Young for getting me involved with myplaceand the Northern Lights Academy. He really is an inspirational person."
Congratulations Lucy you do deserve the camera for that photo hope you are taking loads of photos. gd luck in the future with your photography course as well.
+0
... written by Lucy Grange,
February 09, 2010
Thank you so much! I'm currently concentration on taking a minimum of two images a day, I hope that's enough. lol. Are you Nathan Bridgwood, that entered 'Abseiling Sanna Bay Scotland', if so that image is stunning! Are you interested in climbing and SRT work? Hope all is well, Lucy.
+0
... written by Nathan,
February 09, 2010
yeah i am nathan bridgwood i am a youth work for the chesterton youth club. We go scotland every year and we take some fantastic photos of people on high ropes, gorge walking, tree abseil, ziplining, ringo and all the rest the list is endless. That particular image is taken over the sea where we abseiled 100ft it was amazing. Which myplace project are you working on.
Nathan
+0
... written by Lucy Grange,
February 09, 2010
That shot really is stunning! I'm quite envious, that all sounds amazing, I'm quite into my climbing and such, I guess I'm more adrenaline based, with skydiving too. I'm involved with the project in Hartlepool,the northern light academy, although right now with my course being so intensive oen't mean as much as I'd like it too. It's currently under construction on the same site as St. Hilds School, where I'll be helping more in the near future, I'm quite excited. Lucy.
+0
... written by Denis Donoghue,
February 10, 2010
Guys - thanks for submitting the entries and congratulations Lucy! It's great to know that the camera will help you take forward your career. As one of the judges I have to say that the standard was very high - so keep snapping in preparation for the next competition!
all the best
Denis
+0
... written by Nathan,
February 11, 2010
i would love to sky driving you will have to take some fantastic photos of that expirence. when will your myplace project be built then laura, the chesterton vision center will built in 2011 december time, but we have not started the building yet we are starting the process in june. Denis when will there be another competition as the youth club has load of photos of the myplace and the envolvement of the young people
all the best
Nathan
+0
... written by Denis Donoghue,
February 11, 2010
Hi Nathan
We'll probably get another competition up and running in the springtime now that there are quite a few projects getting going. We'll need to get a whip-round for another camera first. Watch this space!
cheers
Denis
+0
... written by Nathan,
February 11, 2010
that sounds ace just let us know when there is another competition matey. I bet it was hard to decided on which photo should win.
Southpoint- Blackpool Using social enterprise to make a project sustainable
Background
Blackpool is in the throes of regeneration. Major physical changes are taking place throughout the town. An example of these changes is the headlands development on the seafront, recently highlighted as the celebration point for the homecoming of the successful football team. Thousands of people gathered to celebrate the promotion to the premiership. The combination of the people and the backdrop made for such a memorable event.
Wallasey Youth Hub - Wirral Locating a youth hub in a fire station
When the young people of Wirral heard they were going to get a new and exciting youth hub they could hardly have guessed just how innovative it would be. Wirral certainly has a contender for most unusual place to build a youth hub - it was launched in a fire station!
Councillor Sheila Clarke, Wirral's Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Lifelong Learning said: "This really is a breakthrough for all residents in the area. No more bored teenagers hanging around corners with nothing to do. The hubs have been designed with a high degree of input from young people themselves who have worked with enthusiasm and passion to help establish these new facilities."
Toxteth Youth and Sports Centre - Liverpool Engaging young people from different backgrounds
In the aftermath of the 1981 race riots in Liverpool, Toxteth Centre was built as part of an effort to increase services for the city's racial minority residents. In this it was successful, but the centre now wants to develop and expand to become predominantly a youth facility and bring people of all races together at a refurbished and expanded facility. They envision a centre where young people of all backgrounds and from all over the city have fun and get support together. In March 2009 it was awarded ?2.3 million of myplace funding to achieve this goal. With the funding, Toxteth Youth and Sports Centre has embarked on an ambitious plan to expand and improve its facilities, activities and outreach to bring together young people from a wide variety of ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds.
Culture Fusion - Bradford Partnership and co-locations of service
One of the challenges many communities face is overcoming deeply entrenched territorial and racial divides. At the aptly named Culture Fusion, in Bradford, young people are leading the charge in overcoming this challenge in their community. Jenny Bass, Bradford Council Youth Participation Worker, points out that there are lots of young people that are proud of the area's diversity and who want to celebrate it rather than perpetuate the tensions and divides that exist. So what does it take to create a myplace centre that provides a place for these young people to tackle these challenges, get the services they need, and of course, have fun?
Read more...
United Teens Equality Centre (UTEC) - Lowell, Massachusetts Innovative funding ideas
These days, teenagers often feel their potential is ignored by judgemental communities, but across the Atlantic, the residents of Lowell, in Massachusetts, have been celebrating the achievements of its young people and their involvement in the United Teen Equality Centre.
UTEC has an active youth membership of about 1000, nine full-time paid staff, and runs 18 different classes and programmes every week, and will soon be expanding their facilities and making them fully accessible and energy efficient.
Director of Development Jessica Wilson said: "It's the place you go if you want to talk to teens."
myplace Chesterfield - Derbyshire Involving young people with a disability
Involving young people in the planning of myplace centres can mean a lot of different things, but at myplace Chesterfield, it means making sure young people who are often left out of the process are included.Making Chesterfield myplace somewhere that young people with disabilities can hang out and get support alongside other young people has been a key part of their design plans.It seems obvious in theory, but when it comes to practical considerations, what makes a youth centre friendly to a mix of disabled and non-disabled young people?
Westfield Folk House - Mansfield, Notts Partnership and co-locations of service
Objectives
A scheme to transform Westfield Folk House Young People's Centre in Mansfield has won a £5 million myplace grant. This case study shows how the project developed from a logical and well structured plan to boost youth provision following years of under-investment. Successfully involving young people in planning and decision making has played a major role in this.
A renowned youth social club it was set up in 1889 to provide a safe place for young lads, particularly those working in the mills, to enjoy leisure activities.
Over the next century the club grew and grew and began letting girls in from 1991. After further development it was decided that the original 19th century building could be stretched no more and needed updating.
Hornsey Road Baths - Islington Creating a compelling case for change
This case study highlights the work done by Islington Council in securing local buy-in and agreement to a forward strategy for youth facilities. This allowed them to engage over 3500 stakeholders and create a compelling case for change that resulted in an overarching strategy for young people aged 11-19.
Boclair Academy - BearsdenGlasgow Involving young people through film
Boclair Academy is a secondary school in Bearsden; a small commuting town three miles north of Glasgow. In 2005 the school got funding from the Scottish Arts Council through a bid by the local authority (East Dunbartonshire Council) to develop a purpose-built digital film studio on the school campus.
Heather Fawbert didn't have to go far to find the perfect spot for myplace Chesterfield. She discovered the site - an expanse of open space: tennis courts and overgrown, disused allotments that hadn't been dug for over fifteen years - on her way to work.
On his first visit to Westfield Folk House, the Grade II listed building which is currently being transformed into a myplace for Mansfield, architect Rudi Marecki spotted some graffiti.
The thing about myplace, and all new buildings in fact, is that the really good ones tend not to spring up overnight. World-class buildings need time. You just have to be patient.
"It's like that music venue in Australia," says Charlotte, as she pours over a book on architecture, with page after page of beautifully photographed buildings. It turns out that she's referring to the Sydney Opera House.
When Nicole Burke addressed the Blackpool business community at the Pleasure Beach at the end of the Knowsley and Blackpool ambassadors event, her audience was gripped. Nicole talked about what myplace meant for the young people of Blackpool, and people immediately wanted to get involved. Nicole made it sound like fun. People started to think of offering help in ways they hadn't thought of before. Good communication sparks creativity in all of us.
There's a newspaper cutting stuck on the wall outside one of the dressing rooms in the Leicester Haymarket Theatre. Written by Sheridan Morley in August 2004, and published in the Daily Express, it talks about the Haymarket's performance starring Ronni Ancona. "Singin' In The Rain that reigns supreme," is how the glowing review begins. It was just one of many glowing reviews for the myriad musicals staged in this theatre.
As part of my role as a young consultant I visit myplace projects to see how they are involving young people. There have been a number that have stood out and impressed me for a variety of different reasons, however one in particular that I found stood out was the myplace project in Carlisle. This project has involved young people from the beginning, sending them to leading youth centres in and around London to find out what they want in their centre and involving them in the design process.
Hartlepool's got talent. Loads of it. So much talent in fact, that the town recently held not one talent contest, but two: Hartlepool's Got Talent and Hartlepool Has Talent.
Beth Marshall, a key young person in the myplace team, who has a big talent for guitar playing, singing, and doing cover versions of Jack Johnson and The Beatles, lights up when she talks about the excitement behind the scenes at Hartlepool Has Talent.
"Do you have to be a certain age?" The question comes from the audience, from a six-year-old boy called Adam. We're in a dramatically lit, makeshift auditorium in Bristol's former Bridewell Fire Station, in the heart of the city. It's not a question that anyone else has thought of. But Adam has a point. It's a good question to ask. Because at the moment, he's too young formyplace. When he gets his answer, "13-19", he realises that he will have to wait a few years - seven, to be precise.