BBC Children in Need (3 years funding)

In November 2009 the BBC Children in Need approved funding for the Film and Video Workshop to work with young people with a wide range of disabilities. These included physical and learning difficulties, and in some cases severe behavioral problems, affecting their ability to learn in mainstream schools. We used the funding to run 24 animation workshops over three years, at schools for children with special educational needs in the Greater London area, and in the nearby regions including Essex and Kent.

Each workshop involved twelve participants and consisted of six days working within the school. The children created original art-work and used their own ideas to create animated films. Our tutors, all experienced animators, were offered training to facilitate and plan the workshops according to the abilities and ideas of the schools and students.

The BBC Children in Need project culminated with the premiere screening at the National Theatre (BFI) featuring films from all the participants to celebrate their achievements.

The films are also broadcast on YOUTUBE and VIMEO and have also been submitted to national and international festivals with great success.

The BBC Children in need projects enabled children with disabilities to: Build confidence, boost self-esteem and create a sense of achievement

-Create high quality work.

-Improve ICT skills that might lead them to further education and training.

-Improve their soft and basic skills through an exciting media including creativity, communication, teamwork, literacy and numeracy.

-Provide a forum where young people from special school environments can express themselves to a wider audience.

-Challenge ignorance, prejudice and discrimination by the creation of high quality digital media work.

What teachers say about the project:

-With the animation workshops, some students expressed themselves through animation as never before. March 2011(Heather Gordon – Springhallow School)

-The tutor was excellent and kept the children engaged. They thoroughly enjoyed the experience and will take away many new skills. Would definitively recommend!.  February 2011 (Carolyn Wright – Castledon School)

-The children excelled in ways I did not know about them. Really brilliant. The staff enjoyed it too! February 2011 (Mary Farmer – The Cedars)