SOCIAL ACTION SUMMER SCHOOL ZINE
by New Writing North Young Writers
Over the summer holidays, a group of young people in Gateshead spent three days exploring what social action means to them with the help of professional writers Rowan McCabe, Linda France, Lucie Brownlee and Christina Castling. Together, we wrote about everything from education to climate change, to the fight for equality and LGBTQIA+ rights. It's always such a privilege to work with bright and imaginative minds. It gives me hope for the future! Please enjoy the following selection of poems, chosen and edited by the participants.
Lauren Vevers, Gateshead Group Leader
Things worth fighting for 1. The safety of others 2. Freedom to be who you want to be 3. A good lasagne 4. Happiness 5. People who are oppressed 6. Fulfilling your goals 7. Carrying on through the storm 8. A spot on the cricket team 9. Making space for different voices 10. Friendships that last
by James
Hope
Hope for company, Hope for peace.
Hope for someone to be with you forever, Hope for someone to never come back.
Hope to have a memorable future, Hope to forget the past.
Hope the weather is hot, Hope it gets a bit cooler.
Hope to stand out, Hope to fit in.
by Ariah
It's not too late In 5 years time, the world will look like a desert. Gone. The only life left in the winds, lonely wail whooshing throughout the land. Time here is a mere mouse, scuttling past the crumbled Earth. Barren. But hope isn’t gone. Unless we take action. Put down your phones and step away from your glass screens. You can help save the Earth. It’s not too late.
by Izzy
What fear looks like
Fear of spiders Fear of darkness Fear of loneliness Fear of crowds Fear of heights Fear of helplessness Fear of not being good enough Fear of not mattering Fear of small spaces Fear of living longer than loved ones Fear of the unknown
by Luc y
Before the flood
A wooden box contains letters, folders of unsorted photographs. Old tickets, souvenirs, fear. An oversized hoodie (it makes me feel safe). A teddy bear and my favourite books. Conflict. A gold necklace from my grandmother. Memories.
by Kitty, Valentina, Lucy and Katie
Fear of anxiety taking over Fear of missing out Fear of being surrounded by people Fear of birds Fear of falling asleep Fear of not knowing what comes next, Fear of heights Fear of being alone Fear of spiders Fear of the world not changing
e i s o
R y
My worst fears
b
The further we dig
Stuck for now on this piece of rock and everything seems to be going wrong. The further we dig into doing the right thing, outside our bubble of familiarity and what is comfortable. Ignorance is not the answer. In 5 years time, I hope I will be doing the right thing. I believe in the human spirit and we shouldn’t give up yet. We should be more supportive and respect each other equally.
In 5 years, we’ll be all working together to make the world a better place.
e l l e by B
My flood box 1. My vinyl collection 2. Books 3. Photographs 4. Knowing people are there for me 5. A secret stash of sweets — tangfastics and pinballs probably 6. Manga drawings and sketches 7. Family memories we can hold in our hearts 8. My music like ‘Ice Nine Kills’ by Billie Eilish 9. Freedom
by Rosie, Helena, Ariah, Iona
Paradise
Is it a safe haven here? A lavish wood, a house with a roaring fire surrounded by lakes and nature.
Paradise is safety and community. Paradise is a sense of belonging.
Paradise is a place where we all look out for each other.
y t t i K y b
New Writing North supports the development of writing in the North of England. We introduce young people to creative writing through our Young Writers Groups and our long-term programmes in schools. For details on this and our other programmes for young writers, please visit our website: www.newyoungwriters.com If you or someone you know is interested in joining as a young writer, please contact us at: youngwriters@newwritingnorth.com The Social Action Summer School Programme was funded by The Kavli Trust and Arts Council England.