Workshop was led by:

• Hamza Vayani - Chief Executive, Youth Voice
• Andy Kelly - Young Roots Coordinator, HLF
• Caroline Gleaves - Youth Arts Manager, Trafford Youth Service
• Marika - one of the young people from Trafford Youth Service

Questions posed as discussion points for this work shop were:

Q. What are the needs of young people and how can we meet them?

Q. What lessons can be learnt from successful youth projects?

Break out groups deliberated these questions and fed back their thoughts:

• Mutual respect and mutual responsibility.
• Use appropriate specialists for your project.
• Manage expectations from both sides.
• The importance of brokering relationships.
• Be clear about aims and goals.
• Contextualise it and make it relevant to their lives.
• Sustainability
• Andy suggested that a legacy is important but that the project should be finite. Remember there is nothing stopping you from applying for other grants especially if you have already done one successful project.
• Young people should be on board from the beginning before any funding is applied for.
• It may sound simple but speak to the young people.
• Its important to try and think a bit differently, try new things.
• Caroline Gleaves suggested that if you are visiting places with a youth group communicate with the people at the site or museum first and establish what you expect and what they expect. Tell them about the group and what they are involved in. This can be particularly helpful if the site is only used to formal education groups.
• Meet with and build relationships with the young people on their own turf.
• Andy Kelly recommended that we should give over the power to the young people ask them to make phone calls and organise coaches and manage a budget. The young people should be going away with not only heritage skills but also new transferable skills and personal skills.
• Include in you projects an opportunity to train young people as well as the project partners and site/museum staff.Give the young people plenty of opportunities.
• Hamza Vayani said “We have become heritage junkies as an organisation – there is so much to do and celebrate!”