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Young Person’s Guide to the Royal Docks launch - Tue 27 March

Thursday 15 March 2007

A unique online guide by and for young people in the Royal Docks area is celebrating its official launch at the Museum in Docklands on Tuesday 27 March.

The Young Person’s Guide to the Royal Docks is a project creating audio-visual materials and artwork around the heritage and development of the Royal Docks and wider surrounding area. It is run by cSPACE arts organisation, under the Directorship of Loraine Leeson, who is based at the University of East London (UEL).  

The project aims to provide 11-18 year olds an online guide to sites of interest in the changing landscape of the London Thames Gateway.  

Loraine said:” We want to create opportunities for young people to explore the regeneration of the Docklands region from the basis of their own personal experience and cultural heritage.  This website will be great for young people to discover the developments that are happening in the area.”

The project incorporates a mentoring process that has involved the Royal Docks Community School, NewVIc Sixth Form College, Newham College of Further Education and the University of East London.

Students have worked together on sites visits, research and production, supported by arts and media professionals as well as their own teachers. Between them they have produced words, sounds and images that frame this area for their own and future generations.  

The project has received generous financial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Royal Docks Trust, Jack Petchey Foundation, and London Borough of Newham, with equipment provided by Access to Excellence. Courtesy of SERCO, extracts from the guide are being showcased on DLR trains throughout March and April.

Young people from NewVIc who have been creating the Guide met Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh when they visited UEL’s Docklands Campus to open the new Business School and Knowledge Dock Centre.       

cSPACE initiates various projects that use the visual arts, media and cyberspace to support local communities, children and young people in the expression of their visions, dreams and aspirations around issues of regeneration.

For more information visit www.ypg2rd.org or call Loraine Leeson on 020 8223 7531.

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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