Project details
At Fotonow, our Unlocked Youth group brings together young creatives every week to explore digital photography and filmmaking. Since 2020, we’ve created a space where young people develop their digital media skills, build confidence, forge friendships, and connect with Plymouth’s vibrant community organisations and events. Sessions are free to access, thanks to generous support from our funders.
When you think about it, everyone’s there (at Unlocked) to share ideas, some may be good, some may be questionable and others may be plain blah… but you need to get those ideas out there… it can show you the reality and make the world clearer. Unlocked participant (aged 17)
Unlocked has four key aims for working with young people.
- Supporting individual needs and learning
- Providing high quality creative and media provision
- Young people develop their interests and voice
- Using media as tool to explore and share ideas
Listening and prioritising needs
Access to support from trained and qualified adults is important for supporting young peoples’ needs. We have a youth worker on the team, we form part of the young person’s network of support. Weekly sessions are opportunities to socialise, make new friendships, it’s a relaxed space which feels like a youth club.
Making our media resources work for young people
We create learning plans tailored and focused on individual interests so young people are motivated to use digital media film and photography as a creative and research tool. Young people can engage with Unlocked for as long as they like and progress to being a Youth Ambassador.
Amplifying youth voice
Young people have space to consider what they want to say and how their work can be shared with different audiences. As a group we regularly produce high quality and visible media outcomes such as exhibitions, celebration events, films and zines or books.
The wider context
Fotonow’s networks link the group with other local organisations and initiatives that can support their development and sometimes work in partnership, supporting understanding of a ‘bigger picture’. Young people share Unlocked’s approach with wider networks and those in strategic positions.
Since its creation, Unlocked develops through feedback from young people. This iterative process helps us create sustainable programming, responding to needs and working in partnership with other organisations that align with the programme’s values and aims.
Project partners we have worked on Unlocked with include Barnardo’s Care Journeys Plymouth, who match-funded the original Explore and Test project and we regularly work across voluntary and creative sectors, Plymouth Youth Parliament, Plymouth Art Weekender, Real Ideas Organisation, Plymouth City Council Youth Service, Plymouth Arts Cinema, Lynher Barge CIC.
Unlocked Young Reporters - Plymouth Art Weekender
Unlocked meets every Monday from 4:30pm to 6:30pm at our HQ in Ocean Studios in Royal William Yard. Young people aged 13-18 can explore creative projects, learn from industry professionals, and contribute to Plymouth’s cultural scene.
To join your first session, email emmabooth@fotonow.org
Unlocked is currently funded by the generous support of The Norman Family Charitable Trust and Gibbons Family Trust.
