16 ATTLEBORoUGH
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Suffolk & Norfolk Youth Action More Talk - More Action .... SNYA Ambassadors Suffolk and Norfolk Youth Action Ambassadors met up with likeminded young people from around the UK to attend the inaugural meeting of a UK Youth Alcohol Awareness Group. Matthew Dowse and Jamie Debenham travelled by train to arrive at their hotel in Newcastle before attending the Conference the following day. The group is the first of its kind in the UK and started off with a talk about the effects that excessive alcohol consumption has on the nation.
Callum and Branni The delegates then split into groups to focus on specific problems and to present possible solutions. After lunch, the group discussed how they would like to take the group forward and selected one of the members as a youth co-ordinator, with others opting for responsibilities, such as media, press or website design. The group intend to meet again for their second meeting in two months’ time in London. Closer to home, SNYA Ambassadors, Tom Ferguson and Catriona McKendrick, attended the second meeting of the Wymondham Youth Provision Group at Norfolk Constabulary’s Head Quarters. They joined five other young people, four police officers and three youth provision providers to discuss the present youth provision and highlight any shortfalls in youth activities provided in and around Wymondham. Our Ambassadors commended the youth bus that is situated on Browick Park each Friday evening. They particularly liked the presence of adults saying that it made them feel safe knowing that they could be called upon if needed. SNYA Ambassadors also liked the confidential nature of the discussion area that could be accessed on the upstairs of the bus. They suggested several activities, including a youth cinema, drama and acting opportunities, venues for young
August 2014
people to perform live music, and regular competitions for the users of the skateboard and BMX track. Our members thought that it would be a good idea for the provision of a sports co-ordinator that could deliver informal ‘street’ sports. They discussed the Leisure Centre facilities and the provision of uniformed youth activities that they attended in the town. Other young people talked about the improvement and expansion of the Skateboard and BMX track, whilst broken glass and rubbish was an apparent problem on one of the play areas. This group thought that the provision of a youth shelter was inadequate with discarded rubbish and glass being present and this should be upgraded. At the end of the meeting the group was tasked to research costs to provide some of the youth provision recommended. School Radio SNYA School Radio is where we take our portable radio station to work with students within their classrooms. One such annual excursion is to work with Year 6’s from Harleston Primary School. The students told me that they are really looking forward to moving up to high school and looked back fondly at the time they had spent, many since reception year, at their primary school. Year 6 is probably the first big milestone in your child’s life, as they move from being the biggest kid in their school to one of the smallest in the next. Children from Harleston Primary School usually go on to Archbishop Sancroft High School (ASHS) with a few going on to Bungay High and Stradbook High Schools. The thing is, all the High Schools do a great job preparing the Year 6’s for their first year at big school with several taster days and visits. The students tell me that the biggest problem is finding your way around; they are most afraid of getting lost but had been provided with maps. They are also looking forward to making new friends as there are several feeder schools around the Harleston area. Most did not expect to be in the same class as their mates at the next school, but felt reassured that their
existing friendship groups would be helpful in the early days in their new environment. The students were looking forward to their new lessons and thought that ASHS would have more sports equipment than they presently have and were most looking forward to the after school clubs and teams. Throughout the day the students told me how they had enjoyed their time at Harleston Primary School and would definitely miss the place. They said that the teachers were fantastic and the school was a loving environment. During Year 6 they had visited London where they participated in an acting master class at the Globe Theatre, visited Westminster, Tate Modern and the Museum of London. They had many highlights of the day, including all the students performing living art by forming a shape of an eye with some being the iris and others being the eye lashes. The most humorous time was travelling on the Underground and the most exciting was eating tea at McDonalds.
Lloyd Potter environment, probably making great friends who will remain loyal to you for the rest of your lives and who knows, some of you may even meet your life partners. Year 6 transition from Primary School to High School is not the only year group on the move at this time of year because of course, Year 11’s move on to employment, apprenticeships or their chosen further education establishments.
The students told me how they had enjoyed the MusicMix concert back in March at The Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth, hosted by CBBC’s Rebecca Keatley. The event consisted of a 60 piece BBC Concert Orchestra and performances by, friends of SNYA Radio, the rock band, The Rumble. The boys and girls looked back fondly at their performance of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and looked forward to the forthcoming residential at Hollowford Centre in Derbyshire. Consistently, the young people mentioned the clip- on- tie myth. There is not an epidemic of people being swung around by this garment. The clip- on- tie is held up as the best neck wear by Headteachers and Principals because it can only be worn when the top button is fastened, the tie length cannot be altered and it gives the school a better image in the community. As the time approaches for you to purchase your new school uniforms and shiny shoes, apprehension will continue to grow for both you and your parents. Rest assured, you are going to have a great time in your new learning
Jack and Oliver SNYA Radio worked at Archbishop Sancroft High School (ASHS) in Harleston at the ‘Cluster Arts Festival Event 2014’. This was an event that not only saw an exhibition of the students GCSE art work but also included performances by the School’s Orchestra, Steel Band and several rock-pop bands such as ‘Hell brothers’ and ‘Unicorn and the Voltage’. The cluster schools (Primary Schools whose pupils predominantly feed into the High Schools) also participated in the