Interview with Sophie - Project Leader who had the idea, arranged the funding and made everything work.

What advice would you give to other project practitioners?

I knew I wanted to do an art project but I decided I needed to ask the local community whether this was something they wanted to do and what was important to them.

I was lucky to have worked in the area for 2 years so I had built up good relationships with the local community. The charity I was working for also had a lot of local knowledge.

It is vital to get the support of the local community and talk to as many people as possible to include them in any decisions.

Another important idea is to have a signing in book for the project providing:

Emergency contact details (phone number)
Full, name, age and postcode (for monitoring purposes)
Parental consent
Photograph consent (if you are intending to use photographs publically)
Where they heard about the project

Allocate roles to all project members and make sure everyone is valued and has a part to play.

If you are planning a public event involve the Police and local council at an early stage of the project.

What do you think the children learned from being involved in a project like this?

I think the adult population actually learnt as much as the children, as they saw how children can be inspired and involved in a project rather than seeing them as a disruptive element in their society.

It was an opportunity for the children to showcase their talents.

Following the success of the carnival a local dance group has been established, led by the youngsters themselves.

Read my evaluation report