Tue 22 Oct

Breakthrough Blog: Week 1 with Future Creators

Hello! Zac and I are here on a 6-month placement curtesy of the Artswork Breakthrough Programme where we will be working on an upcoming project called Coastal Catalyst, which has the sheer aim to create sustainable opportunities for young people to develop their skills, potential and voice within the creative industries. To encourage more engagement in their local areas and break down any existing barriers that limit their involvement. (For more information check out the Future Creators website) We are sharing the role of Project Assistant and have just had our first week in the office. Our role covers a range of different tasks including setting up and engaging with youth boards, running the social media, event planning and general admin assistance. Both of us are incredibly excited to get stuck in, develop/learn new skills and add our input as young, creative individuals who are incredibly passionate about the ethos that Coastal Catalyst represents.

As week one of being in the office is coming to a close, we reflect on the productive, information-packed few days we have had. Names being put to faces; information being passed on and the settling in process starting. Entering the Office, we were welcomed by smiling faces and curiosity towards our different backgrounds, experience and characters. It has been insightful to meet the lovely people behind the inspiring organisations and projects that are housed at the Sound Rooms Office, get a feel for what our days may look like when working and adjust to a new setting that will soon be very familiar to us.

On our first day we had a meeting at Marine Workshops in Newhaven. Here we joined forces, meeting Kim Byford –who runs Talent Accelerator and other individuals that are also involved within the Coastal Catalyst project development. Drinks ordered, we got straight to work discussing ideas, expectations for the project and getting future targets firmly established. It was engaging to get stuck straight in and ideas were spreading like wildfire. To see everyone’s passions and drive was admirable and has made us extremely excited to work further on this project and offer our input. The now ongoing conversation and collaboration well and truly started, we headed back to Sound Rooms.

During our times at Sound Rooms, we had both meetings and independent research time. These were on a range of different topics: some about new projects we will be involved with and some more about the logistical sides of working in the office e.g. Health and Safety, Safeguarding and introductions to staff websites/services. We’ve seen a lot of the training topics we worked on with Artswork prior to starting to come into practice as we’ve moved through the week.

Moving into next week we are excited to continue to find out more about the Coastal Catalyst project, continue to meet new faces in the office and are intrigued to attend our first event at Youth Employment Hub.

Written by Emma Staples