Young Champions Programme Launched

Monday, 10 March 2008 16:26

Engaging with all sectors of the community is of key importance to Project Taunton and on Fri 29 February it launched its Young Champions Programme, specifically aimed at a secondary school audience. Thirty specially selected pupils from five secondary schools across Taunton met for the first time at an event to help them get to know each other and find out more about their new role. The aim of the programme is to help secondary school students understand the large scale regeneration planned for their town and to involve them in decisions that affect their community.

The Young Champions will meet the Project Taunton team regularly, meet and discuss the plans with regeneration professionals, and be given specific projects to carry out in their schools. They will also give important feedback on a wide range of issues, from public art to personal safety.

The event at the Somerset County Cricket Club went incredibly well, with all the students gaining a lot from the experience. They met the regeneration team, chatted to local cricket legend, Keith Parsons, had a talk from Stephen Major of Gadd Homes, enjoyed a tour of the cricket ground, and joined together for a series of workshops on a wide range of subjects, including what the future retail and cultural offers in the town should look like.

Robbie Lowes from Project Taunton is working with teachers from each of the schools to coordinate the programme. She said, "The Young Champions launch was a huge success and all the students were really fired up about their new role as an ambassador for the town's regeneration. We're now working with the school staff to pull together an exciting programme which will involve the students in workshops, question time debates and visits to other regeneration locations."

Mark Leeman from the Borough Council added "The Young Champions demonstrated the value of their involvement in decisions about the future of Taunton. They challenged the professionals to deliver a future where they can afford to buy a home, have a well paid job and enjoy a much better range of facilities. But also, they brought fresh ideas and suggestions for a range of projects, suggesting ways in which developments can be improved to accommodate their needs. We now have to continue this good work - to listen and engage with the Young Champions to create a Taunton that better serves its residents, from childhood through to adulthood."

As well as meeting regularly, they will keep in touch via a dedicated, password protected area on the Project Taunton website, which is being developed specifically for the Young Champions. They will be able to access resources and add to a calendar of events as well as participate in live discussion. Their first responsibility as a champion is to set up a Project Taunton notice board at each of their schools, where they can post information about the regeneration developments for their peers and teachers to read.

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