WCVYS awards ‘Gold’ to homelessness charity
A charity working with young people to create a film about homelessness has been recognised with a Gold Warwickshire Award for Involvement.
Doorway, which helps homeless young people in Nuneaton & Bedworth and North Warwickshire, organised for 16 to 25-year-olds to take part in a 12 week arts project enabling them to produce, direct and star in their film called ‘A place to stay’.
Workshops were facilitated by Community Arts Workshop and funded by Warwickshire County Council as part of the 2009 to 2010 Arts and Health programme.
Over the course of the project, young people worked with professional filmmakers, composers, graffiti artists and choreographers to produce the film designed to challenge views and opinions of youth homelessness.
They were presented with the Gold Warwickshire Award for Involvement by Warwickshire Children and Voluntary Youth Services, who are now responsible for administering the awards programme on behalf of Warwickshire County Council.
Helen Smith, Development Worker for Warwickshire Children and Voluntary Youth Services (WCVYS), said: “Doorway was presented with the Gold award because they demonstrated that young people are at the heart of everything they do.
“As part of the Gold assessment criteria, organisations need to show that they regularly involve young people in the planning and evaluation of a service, adapt service delivery where necessary following consultation with young people and take this further by involving them in policy changes to name a few examples.
“It is really pleasing to see that voluntary sector organisations such as Doorway and partners are working together for young people.”
To find out more about Warwickshire Children and Voluntary Youth Services (WCVYS), visit http://www.warkscvys.org.uk.