HISTORY

In October 1997 about 20 –25 children and their parents got together and produced 50 copies of A4 size newspaper and distributed them to their friends in Wapping. In November of the same year they circulated 100 copies and 200 copies in December. These initial activities led to the development of Young News, the newspaper as well as Young News, the organisation.

In January 1998, Young News received its very first funding from St.Katherine Shadwell Trust. Other grants followed soon such as News International Plc and Eastside Arts. On the same year, Young News formed its management committee and in April 1999 it registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee. In April 2000 it registered as a Charity and got its first paid worker in October 2000.

Young News newspaper caters for the children ages 8-13. In August 2000, Young News realised the gap in the provision of their service and launched another newspaper called Exposure. Its funding came from CIDA, CEN and Tower Hamlets College. Exposure is produced by young people ages 14 – 25 years old. On the same year, Prokash, another newspaper was launched. Prokash is a Bengali newspaper intended for Bengali speaking people.

VISION

A community where adults are actively engaged in the labour market and where children and young people enjoy the educational opportunities available to them to enable them build a better life in the future in a deprived community like Tower Hamlets.

AIMS

To train young people on journalism, creative writing, design and lay out, Information Technology skills and all other aspects of newspaper production.

To engage young people in a creative environment and therefore keeping them away from drugs and other petty crimes.

To improve the children’s and young people’s reading and writing skills.

To promote and encourage the notion of volunteering amongst children and young people.

To develop young people’s skills in decision making, team building, problem solving and many more.

To help young people build their confidence.

To work with the socially excluded and disadvantaged groups of the community.

To promote journalism as a career option for young people.

PROJECTS : YOUNG NEWS

Young news is a monthly newspaper produced by children for the children. Children between the ages 8-13 are targeted in this project.  It is distributed free in schools, community centres and libraries in Tower Hamlets. Since its first publication in 1997, Young News distribution has increased from 50 to10,000 copies. Every year about 500 children directly participate in the production of the paper and about 10000 benefit indirectly. Workshops are held in various premises but primarily in the organisation’s premises. Children are trained in the many aspects of producing a newspaper which include writing, layout design and editorial. Children who participate are able to improve their creative writing and reading skills as well as learn how to work in a group.

WORKSHOPS

The organisation conducts a series of workshops that lead to the production of newspapers. The following are some of the topics covered: