I find I‘m often trying to make someone read a book I’ve enjoyed and am responded to with the classic ‘Oh wow that sounds great Rosie I’ll read that’ and they just LIE. So I’m taking this opportunity to tell the nation (well, the readers of the Livity blog) about what you must read – based entirely on my own opinions. You’re welcome.

Moreover, it’s summer time and for some reason books are always recommended at this time of the year. However I strongly believe books can get you through all seasons and all situations one might face. Admittedly I am fairly biased towards books with a romantic edge however I would recommend these ten whatever your sex, whatever the type of book you go for. So throw your self-help books out the window, your new life starts here!*

*Please be aware when reading this that I am prone to hyperbolic undertone.

‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith

I thought this book was going to be a load of rubbish when I first saw it so I have no idea what made me pick it up and start reading it, but I can assure you it’s brilliant. Patti Smith, who ignorantly I thought would be on par with say Mick Jagger trying to write a book, is an awesome writer. In parts, pretty airy fairy and perhaps a bit too philosophical but essentially this is a book about her lifelong friend, photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who sadly died of AIDs in 1989. The events occur against the backdrop of the 60s, with Allen Ginsburg, Sandy Daley, Sam Shepherd and many more, making appearances.

‘A Kind of Loving’ by Stan Barstow

The first of three books, serialising the main character, Vic Brown’s life from the age of 20 through to middle age. I read this really recently and couldn’t put it down. Written with a racy Yorkshire timbre, Vic falls in love with a girl at first sight and has no idea what he’s got himself into once he realises he’s not all that keen on her after all. Vic’s internal monologue makes for an amusing insight into a 20-year-old boy who just wants to love, and be loved in return!

‘The Paris Wife’ by Paula McClain

One of the most fantastic books I’ve ever read. I feel worried I won’t be able to convey how great this book is to you. I know, the cover is awful and reminiscent of a Mills & Boon book, but don’t be put off!

The Paris Wife is a novel based on the events of Ernest Hemmingway’s first marriage to Hadley Richardson. A turbulent relationship, they were together before he’d become a big shot writer, they met at a party and fell madly in love with each other and jetted off to Paris, obv.

However Hemmingway being the arrogant pig that he was, thought it was appropriate to have a fully-fledged relationship with another woman whilst still married. The result is so heartbreaking, there are twists and turns everywhere and especially if that time in history interests you, boys AND girls, this is one to read. It’s SO GOOD!

‘A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers’ by Xiaolu Guo

Also a filmmaker, Guo has written her entire novel in broken English. The novel is narrated by Zhuang, a young Chinese girl coming over to London against the will of her parents, to learn English and to save herself from living on a farm for the rest of her life. She falls in love with an older man and you can probably guess what happens! However the beauty of it, is the way it’s written and her thoughts and perceptions of the new world around her. It could divide opinions – I think by the first page you either won’t be able to put it down or you’ll want to throw it across the room until it’s firmly lodged somewhere you won’t be able to find it again. Just try it!

‘The Elegance of the Hedgehog’ by Muriel Barbery

This book is a-maa-zing. Girl or boy, it’ll make you want to sing from the rooftops with joy when you’re finished. This book should be a text for anyone doing anything remotely sociological-philosophical, unlike most textbooks it’s well written and really readable. The story is about the life of Renée, a housekeeper in a grand Parisian apartment block who seems, to the vacuous inhabitants, like any old housekeeper. However on the inside, she is far more cultured and interesting than anyone bothers to find out.

‘On Chesil Beach’ by Ian McEwan

I didn’t do A Level English and so this book wasn’t tainted for me with the necessity of analysing it into abolition. I loved this book, it’s about a newly married couple on the night of their wedding day and sees their inability to communicate properly ruining the rest of their relationship and consequently their lives. Morbidly, I love all the ‘what ifs’ and the dire possibility of regret in this book. And you will too!

‘For Richer For Poorer’ by Victoria Coren

Again, awesome book. If you love Victoria Coren, it’s even more awesome. An accomplished guardian journalist now, growing up with her brother she got into poker, looking to meet boys and new people with whom she might actually fit in. Coren documents her journey into the world of underground poker games, the World Series, the European Championships and the family of eccentrics she forms along the way. There’s loss, there’s love, there’s fear and tension, all intermingled with Aces, Jacks, Queens and adventures in Vegas. What more could you want?

‘The Time Traveller’s Wife’ by Audrey Niffenegger

I have to start with a disclaimer when recommending this book, as everyone’s first reaction is a shrieky ‘Ooaawwhhhhh I don’t think I like sci-fi’. It’s not bloody sci-fi, and I hate sci-fi too. Admittedly, it is based around the idea of time travelling but the essence of it is – surprise surprise, another fantastic love story, where they fall in love. And to be honest the time-travelling aspect of it doesn’t make it unlike dating in the real world – one minute your date/beloved is there, next they’re not, then they text back, then they don’t. Same thing! Very relatable I promise.

I’m fairly sure I cried perpetually through the last 200 pages, but it’s totally worth the emotion and anguish it stirs within you.

‘I Capture a Castle’ by Dodie Smith

I read this book a long time ago, so I can mainly remember the delightful-ness of it and not the ins and outs of the story. In essence the main character, Casandra, lives in a derelict castle with her dad, a penniless writer, along with her sister and brother. When two men who have moved in nearby arrive, allsorts of mishaps and adventures arise! Mainly all related to being in love, but is there anything else that matters??? No.

And if you didn’t know already, written by the same writer as 101 Dalmatians!

‘Under the Canvas Sky’ by Clare Peake

Completely incredible book. A biography of her family, Clare Peake depicts her relationship with her father Mervyn Peake, writer of the Ghormengast trilogy, who was diagnosed with Parkinsons in his 40s. From a young age she has to see her dad deteriorate whilst her mother kept things together. Clare Peake tells the story of this period of her life with nostalgia and sadness but without making you feel sorry for her. A really touching account on the impact of illness on a family and how they cope, along with an insight to all the other characters that go along with them on their journey.

So that’s that! If you’re in the office feel free to borrow, however if you’re not I’m afraid you’ll have to buy, I am very talented but far too busy to start a mailout service too, get your Amazon app out.

Rosie McGoughlin, Account Executive, 14.06.13

As Livity meandered down Parkway en route to the Park Village Ping Pong Smackdown last Wednesday, there was a steady sense of anticipation. The promise of booze, burgers and sliders seemed to be playing second fiddle to something else, namely the fact there were a couple of prizes up for grabs and we were all quite keen to take them home. Arriving en masse, both heavy-duty security and guest-list guarders raised an impressed eyebrow at how deep Livity rolled – “you’re all the same company?” they asked as bowls of giant cola bottles, black jacks and sherbert dib-dabs came into view.

Park Village is a nicely considered production space, fusing the blanched backdrops of the modern studio with a slinky spiral staircase and a period balcony. So whilst Team Height Advantage and The Bangkok Ladies warmed up and found their sense of space on the table, the broader Livity collective stepped up on the balcony to gather some perspective on proceedings bubbling below. From that viewpoint they were able to scope out the competition, get a sense of occasion, hang out by the DJs and generally take a step back before exploding into life as unflappable table-side support.

One of the prizes up for grabs on the night was “Best Dressed Team” and the entire arena left any hopes of victory at the door when The Bangkok Ladies floated into view. Heads turned, hearts fluttered – they damn near stole my tears! These dangerously well-heeled gentlemen didn’t shout the loudest, they just looked the freshest. Cutting through a sea of faux-sportswomen and men who’d toiled with the same old tired aesthetic, the Bangkok Ladies drizzled a sense of fresh-cut-charm over proceedings with crisp flannels, dickie bows and sneakers. Untouchable.

By the time the tournament started, Livity felt well placed to progress – with a palpable sense of team about the place. Both of our entrants progressed as far as the quarter-finals, where they met in comfortably the most blessed tie of the evening. It’d have been unfair had the Bangkok Ladies progressed – you can’t look that good and win – so Team Height Advantage were allowed a shot at glory.

So, let’s get on those balconies for those different perspectives that’ll always set Livity apart. Let’s roll as deep as we can where situations allow – because if you’re surrounded by good people it matters more. And if we’re lucky enough and good enough to come out on top, let’s not shout too loud about it – because we can always win by more next time.

Joe Gray, Junior Account Manager, 11.06.13

]]> http://livity.co.uk/2013/ping-pong-smackdown/feed/ 0 http://livity.co.uk/2013/when-will-dad-go-to-iceland/ http://livity.co.uk/2013/when-will-dad-go-to-iceland/#comments Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:19:41 +0000 Kay http://livity.co.uk/?p=3255 Continue reading →]]> ‘That’s why Mums go to Iceland’, a chatty voiceover concludes in the budget supermarket’s latest ad. We’ve heard this slogan repeatedly – since the mid-noughties in fact – but let’s take a moment to consider its significance.

I am livid. Can someone please tell me, for Pete’s sake, when Dad is going to get off his backside and do the bloody shopping for once?

I am not leveling this at the real Dads of this world. My own lovely Father did ALL the supermarket shopping, and cooking, and cleaning, throughout my indolent teenage years. I am talking about the Dads of the grossly caricatured, down right sexist, bull**** nonsense world of the advertising industry.

I’m aware that brands need to speak to their consumers, and that stereotypes can be an effective (aka lazy) way of doing this. But the industry is lagging woefully behind the times. A survey by The Breakout Room found that 40% of men claim to be solely responsible for grocery shopping in their households, 53% claim to have joint responsibility, and only 7% claim to have no responsibility at all.*

Iceland aren’t the only culprits. Thanks, Proctor & Gamble, for your uplifting Olympic campaign last summer; ‘P&G: Proud Sponsor of Mums’. Despite the well-deserved attention women’s sport has finally been receiving, we were still constantly reminded throughout last summer of our duty to reproduce. Thank goodness we have use of P&G’s wonderful product range to clean, feed and nurture our offspring. If we’re really lucky, we might be allowed to live our lives vicariously through said offspring. Lucky us.

But at least we can look great whilst going about our daily duties. ‘We’ve been married for 15 years; that’s three moves, five jobs, two newborns – it’s no wonder I’m getting grey’, a handsome-looking male model reflects. ‘But Kate still looks like…Kate’. Cut to shots of perfectly-preened hair-swishing female model.

I’m sorry, what? You’ve been married for 15 years, and you’ve NEVER noticed that your wife dyes her hair (using a home hair dying kit)?

That’s not even the best part. Have you heard the slogan? ‘With Nice n’ Easy, all they see is you’. You with fake hair, a tonne of makeup and airbrushed within an inch of your life. That’s right ladies – forget the house moves, new jobs and newborns – your biggest worry is that hubby might find out your real hair colour.

It’s high time for change. No more man-sized tissues (I am living proof that women have big noses too), I will damn well eat a Yorkie bar if I want to, and woe-betide any man I encounter displaying his ‘WKD’ side.

And on a more serious note, though we are no longer in the 1950s, violence towards women is still a huge issue, women still earn on average 14.9% less than men for the same job*, and only 22% of our MPs are women. We are under-represented, over-pressured and underpaid, and these not-so-subtle advertising messages perpetuate the backward attitudes which lead to an unjustly skewed and gendered society.

So please let’s turn the tide, break the mould, and give the advertising industry a massive boot up the backside. Let us all go forth and change the world for the better, for both men (who are fully capable of doing the shopping, cleaning and childcare), and women.

*http://www.thebreakoutroom.co.uk/?p=260

*The Fawcett Society

04.06.13, Florence Wilkinson, Senior Account Manager

Predictably, at times we felt we were learning as much from our group as we hope they learnt from us. Many guiding principles of communication remain the same here, but there are differences in the socio-political landscape that impact the work and the comms companies are able to execute in this part of the world and we were fascinated to learn more about them.

We were also up against one minor challenge from the beginning – the language barrier. Despite an initial wave of terror at the realisation that we were going to be wired up with radio mics, sound packs and headphones for two days, the situation ultimately did us a favour, because there can be no momentary distraction when you’re working in translation: you have to focus on every single word, 100% of the time. By the end of Monday, we’d grown used to the dynamics of working into mics and headsets, and realised that ultimately, it made us better teachers: more focused, more able to respond more carefully and specifically to every comment, question, or discussion that arose.

We were sad to say goodbye to our new friends on Tuesday afternoon – they were a fun and inspiring group and we look forward to seeing how they get on. If you’re a tweeter, don’t be afraid to check some of them out: @Yohana Silvera, @AEscalona92, @HabitatCreativo, @HENKA_CMC, @tiunaelfuerte. (And if you’re not a Spanish speaker, Google translate will do the hard part for you.)

Saludos!

Ben and Leila x

Caracas, day one.

There are loads of interesting and awesome things about this place. Here are our Top 10.

1. The breakfasts at our hotel.



2. Our resident hotel harpist who plays the harp each morning during aforementioned breakfast.
3. The skies are amazing.



4. The old American cars bashing around the city are just so freakin’ cool.
5. The hills and the colours. We’re in the middle of the Caracas Valley and there are mountains wherever you look.



6. Shopping malls. We’ve already been to two. They rock.
7. All of the girls have amazing manicures.

Delivered by Livity in partnership with Penguin, Spinebreakers is our nationwide online book community, where teens can share their passion for reading and get creative (www.spinebreakers.co.uk).

One of our Spinebreakers young people Alannah tells us why, in our forever-changing digital world, the humble story continues to captivate, and gives us a list of her top ten tales to last the test of time.

Who remembers the tamagotchi? I do. At the tender age of 7, I watched all my friends toddle around our school playground, their faces planted to the screens and their fingers craftily pressing each little button as they controlled the lives of their adopted alien children. It sounds rather bizarre when I put it like that, but at the time I wanted one beyond all comprehension. Parents everywhere loved it too, because it was the satisfyingly cheap alternative to the Nintendo DS and would keep their children happy until the battery wore out. One Christmas, at the foot of my stocking, I found the small egg-shaped parcel and tore it open. A lurid pink and yellow tamagotchi, complete with a miniature dog-tag and three tiny buttons was now mine!

3 years later, children all over the country had forgotten about it. So are we just all spoilt? Not necessarily. Do we end up throwing things away that we thought were The Next Big Thing only a few years before? Definitely. Technology simply moves on. I remember a time when I became inexplicably excited about my Mum’s new phone, the only redeeming feature of which was a sliding cover. And it’s practically impossible to buy a game for a GameBoy or the original Nintendo DS anymore, because apparently they’re obsolete; defunct; old. Yet somehow, the most simple and technologically basic of objects had stood the test of time longer than any other invention in the history of humanity: the humble story. Whether in the format of an eBook or a paperback, no one has ever grown out of the idea of a book.  From Dante’s time, when 3 books would have cost the same price as a small cottage, to now, when we have the whole of the British Library to search for any book we wish, no one can ignore the power of a good story.

I’ve compiled a list of 10 books that have stood the test of time, and others that will be in our hearts for many years to come.

1. “Romeo and Juliet”- by William Shakespeare. OK, so this is technically a play. But it is still extremely relevant- well, for me especially, seeing as my “Romeo and Juliet” Controlled Assessment makes up 25% of my English Literature grade! So many brilliant adaptations as well!
2. “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”- by J.K. Rowling. Not my favourite book out of the set, but it’s one that children like myself across the world will remember for the rest of their lives. I have no doubt that these books will be used as bed-time stories for years to come.
3. “War and Peace”- by Leo Tolstoy. This one should be kept as a summer read, because it will probably take you the whole 6 weeks to get through it! Translated from Russian to English, this book is like a Bible of human nature.
4. “The Hunger Games”- by Suzanne Collins. This is a great dystopian read and I really enjoyed the books. This book has already made a clear legacy for itself, with the film and overwhelming fan-base.
5. “Winnie the Pooh”- by A.A. Milne. One of my personal favourite reads when I was little. This is a really charming bedtime story, with illustrations that have been remembered by children for generations.
6. “The Book Thief”- by Markus Zusak. I loved this book and I can’t wait for the film (which is coming out in 2014!). “The Book Thief” is sensitive and thought-provoking and may or may not leave you weeping on the floor when you finish it. I hope that it’s remembered, because it carries such an important message.
7. “Anne of Green Gables”- by L.M. Montgomery. Funny and brilliant and extremely relatable. It’s been taking people all over the world back to the comfort and familiarity of Prince Edward Island, the place in which the book is set.
8. “The Fault in Our Stars”- by John Green.  No one has stopped talking about this book; literally. Which isn’t surprising, seeing as it’s so beautifully written and quite unlike any other book you will ever read. I didn’t want it to end but, much to my disappointment, it did. But it continued to be breathtaking until the last word.
9. “The Catcher in The Rye”- by J.D. Salinger. The epitome of teenage angst. No one will be forgetting this book in a hurry. It sums up what it means to be a teenager, from the anxieties to the strange antics; to the depression and the “whatever-ness”.
10. “Pride and Prejudice”- by Jane Austen. Not everyone would agree, but I thought that this book was very charming and funny and it’s celebrating its 100^th anniversary this year. Check out the zombie-fied version too, as well as the web diaries.

Alannah, Spinebreakers Editor, 23.05.13

After graduating in 2010, I was lucky enough to get a place on Japan Exchange & Teaching Programme (JET). One week after graduation ceremony (which involved getting a hug off University Chancellor Sanjeev Bhaskar – check please) I stepped onto a Tokyo bound plane and for two years, that was that.

I had a secure job, my own place, a car and was earning a decent living. For sure, it was an incredibly secure bubble. In the back of my head, I was always aware that the JET bubble would one day burst and that in many ways, a move back to the U.K would mean starting things from scratch.

Speaking to friends who had remained in the U.K over the two years I was away, I began to get a steady picture of the challenges they were experiencing whilst trying to find employment.  Our conversations frequently revolved around one system in particular, a brick wall that young people have been banging their heads against with increased frustration over recent years; the now notorious unpaid internship.

Internships have become increasingly essential in order to gain access to a number of industries. As unemployment amongst young people in the UK soars past one million, the swelling demand for work experience together with a distinct lack of graduate jobs has led to a large proportion of employers utilizing young people as a source of free labour.

I’ve been able to support myself with savings whilst crashing with extended family here in London (at hard to beat, discount family-friendly rates). For so many of my friends however, fortune and circumstance simply don’t allow them to justify being able to work these unaffordable internships.

Consequently, they’re unable to gain the experience that they feel they deserve which seems to me the real tragedy of the unpaid internship system. It seems an extraordinary way to treat a generation of young people whose talents are being unfairly blocked and sidelined. We’re ready to work and desperate for experience, yet opportunities continue to get locked out for those that are unable to work for free for long periods of time.

There’s a clear need for awareness building surrounding the issue. Thankfully, campaign groups such as Intern Aware are providing a voice for the thousands affected. The group has garnered attention in their condemnation of the unpaid internship system, stating that a practice that asks young people to work for free is simply unacceptable. They recently produced a list of one hundred employers who advertise for unpaid interns, a list which is currently being investigated by HMRC.

Leading universities are also taking a stance, banning the advertising of unpaid internships for new graduates.

The Government is currently in the process of hearing the Internships Bill, which if passed, will give them the power to prosecute employers who advertise unpaid internships.

Whilst it’s reassuring to see that the steps are being made to eradicate this imbalanced system, I can’t help but think about those who have already been affected, resigning themselves to this “culture of acceptance” bred by the exploitative and exclusive nature of the unpaid internship system. It renders its victims feeling blocked out by the system, apathetic and anxious about not only their careers, but also themselves.

Worth a read:

• http://www.internaware.org/ – National campaign group calling for fairer, paid internships.

• http://internsanonymous.co.uk/ – A forum for interns to share their experiences and shine a light on the problems facing the graduate job market.

• http://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace/tuc-21750-f0.cfm – There’s now the TUC Rights For Interns App, which calculates what interns should have been paid. The app then directs users through to HMRC to help claim what they are are owed.

  20.05.13, Will de Groot, Paid (!) Intern at Livity

But we also know that a long-term content strategy requires substantial investment and commitment, and is not the right answer for everyone. So if you’re contemplating content and wondering whether to go for it or not, try asking yourself these five questions first…

1.    Why are you interested in it?

Be honest. Did you feel a bit left out when everyone at that conference was talking about their exciting new content strategies? Has the PR team not had much joy getting people to talk about your brand so you might as well have a crack at doing it yourself? Hoping it will save you a fortune in ad spend this year? Got a bit of under spend to play with? Looking for a flashy way to launch something? Need to double sales by Q3?

If it’s any of the above then think of a better reason or walk away now.

But if you’ve got mid to long term objectives to grow market share, change attitudes and behaviour, sustain and deepen brand awareness and affinity, develop an engaged community or open up innovative new digital sales channels then the sooner you can start producing entertaining, relevant, regular original digital content the better.

2. Do your stakeholders have balls of steel?

Growing your own audience around content is a long game. Dipping your toes in to test the water is only going to return a false negative result. You’ve got to jump in with both feet and be prepared to wait a year or more before you start to feel the warm fuzzy return on your investment. Getting you board to greenlight your masterplan is just the first challenge. Keeping their faith in the strategy 3, 6, 9 months down the line will be even harder. Be sure they know what they’re in for and have the nerve to see it through.

3. Can you get the whole company on side?

You’re also going to need the confidence and support of as many other people as possible, both to help shape the strategy and implement it. To ‘Think Like A Publisher’ and start behaving like one too it won’t just be cash, crew and kit you need, but a company-wide culture change as well.

Departments that have previously had little to do with each other will have to start talking daily and everyone needs to take the editorial mindset into their role and start reporting back from the frontline. They don’t just need to know about it or support it, they need to really get it.

4. Are you really interesting?

If your instinctive answer is ‘Hell yeah!’, then put yourself in your target audience’s shoes for a moment, take a long hard look at yourself and ask the question again. If the answer is still the same, then congratulations you work in entertainment, fashion or sport. If your answer is a definite ‘no’ then chances are you’re being a bit hard on yourself, and maybe not looking in the right places.

Try drawing a Venn diagram with all the topics that your target audience might conceivably choose to read about, watch, listen to, talk about or share on one side, and all the topics that your brand could be qualified to talk about or associate itself with (allow yourself to be fairly creative and tangential here), on the other. If the area of overlap is less than 10% then it might be best to stick to buying your way in front of other content publishers’ audiences than killing yourself trying to earn your own.

5. Do you have hidden talents?

So you’ve made the decision, persuaded the board, secured the budget and are all set to push the start button. But before you post your Content Director job ad or start figuring out how to let go of all those media buyers, PRs and campaign managers that you’re not going to need any more, take a good look at what talent you’ve already got close to home.
You know that guy Tom in research? No? Well anyway, he’s been writing his hilarious gig review blog for years now. And Lucy in accounts’ baking tips have got thousands of subscribers on youtube. Between them they know as much as about optimum blog post lengths, keywords, subscription drivers and the best upload time to catch ABC1 mums as anyone.

An internal skills and interests audit will reveal these hidden gems, renew their enthusiasm for work and make every member of your organization feel like you are genuinely interested in them and make them interested in how they can evolve to support this new way of working.

Written for Contagious Magazine.

@livityuk @callumity

15.05.13, Callum McGeogh, Creative Director

It’s Livity’s 12th birthday, and being 12 is great! As part of our celebrations we thought we’d share with you some insights and stories on what being 12 is all about:

1.Outnumbered: There are approximately 690,000 12-year-olds in the UK. If they all decided to get together and form their own exclusive city, it would be the fourth largest in the country.

2.Well, it is my 13th year! Despite being officially restricted to over 13s, an estimated 65% (and rising) of 12-yearolds in the UK use Facebook; about average for Europe.

3.Video stars: However, they spend more time on YouTube (or watching YouTube videos on other sites) than any other platform. Games and gaming sites come a close second.

4.Fully mobile: 98% of UK 12-year-olds have their own mobile, approximately 45% of which are smartphones (and rising fast); much higher than the global average.

5.Who’s watching who? 87% of 12-yearolds in Europe claim to have unrestricted use of Social Networks, yet 48% of parents claim they put restrictions on their 12-year-olds. UK 12-year-olds have the tightest control on their privacy settings in Europe, with only 9% making their profiles public.

6. Pity her teacher: 12-year-old Neha Ramu from Surbiton South London has recently been told she has a higher IQ than Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates and even Albert Einstein, and has already aced her SATs for entry to Harvard.

7.Up, up and away: In February, 12-yearold Californian Lauren Rojas managed to send her Hello Kitty doll into space for her school science project…

Rebecca Thompson, Hot Tap Media, Glasgow / Edinburgh

Digital content production company focused on delivering innovative creative content with a social conscience to support young people to develop a range of skills both on and offline.

Sarah Frood, and Desmond Bernie, ice cream architecture, Glasgow

Focus on architectural community consultation and seek out social and accessible ways to engage with communities working across Scotland.

Neil, Regional Youth Work Unit (RYWU), Gateshead

Work across the region to improve the lives of young people, operating as a focal point for both statutory and voluntary youth sector services to share information, highlight best practice, and co-ordinate the development of youth services.

Holly Ball, Proper Job Theatre, Huddersfield

Create exciting projects using theatre to inspire change.

Terence Wallen, Birmingham

Years of experience working in the youth sector, specialising in working with hard to reach NEET young people, helping them obtain accreditation and training where possible.

Pete Compston, Culturapedia, Blackburn

Specialists in marketing and publishing in the arts and cultural sector, Culturapedia exists to give idea’s legs; engaging young people from diverse backgrounds and link them into positive activities.

Luisa Golob, Art in the Park, Sheffield

Environmental arts organisation delivering a range of projects that meet local needs. Offer a range of accredited training and volunteering opportunities that can help enhance the skills of young people.

Rebekah McCabe, PLACE, Belfast

PLACE is the built environment centre for Northern Ireland with a vision for a better place to live, work and play, inspired by communities.

Elly Wilson, Creative Arts East, Norfolk

An arts and community development charity that run a portfolio of creative learning and arts engagement projects, supporting young people into employment or education.

Simon Lovatt, Cwimni Theatr Arad Goch, Aberwystwyth

Create inspiring, motivating and memorable experience for young people through theatre, music, dance and other cultural activities.

Arielle Tye, ProMo-Cymru, Cardiff

Work in the cultural sectors, enterprise, communication, media and web production and manage CLIC online, the bilingual national news and information channel for young people in Wales.

Laura Phelps, RELAYS (Regional Educational Legacy in Arts and Youth Sport), Bournemouth

Aims to inspire young people and their communities to participate in, create and promote cultural and sporting activities, with extensive networks across universities, colleges and schools across the region.

Jason Page, London

Extensive career creating opportunities for young people to engage in politics and the arts, supporting them to take part in events and media opportunities that enhance their employability, and enable them to realise their potential.

Hatty Bell, A Very Good Company, London

Their mission is to leverage the resources available to businesses, community networks and individuals as a force for good.

James Turnbull, DV8 Training, Sussex

A training provider delivering work based learning courses and qualifications in the creative industries.

Contact details and spaces can be found on our website, if you have a space or need a space, if you have an idea or a project you want to develop get in touch!

26.04.13, Rosie McGloughlin, Account Executive