The 80by18 project aims to harness the resources of Bristol’s communities, businesses, cultural institutions, people and places, to showcase 80 fantastic Bristol experiences that will help young people thrive and survive in uncertain times.
Co-ordinated by researchers at the University of Bristol, the project is now seeking to engage the city’s help in asking people and organisations to submit new ideas for experiences they could offer. All ideas can be submitted via the project’s website at www.bristol80by18.org.uk/ until Friday 5 April 2013.
Ideas for experiences put forward so far include growing your own food at the city’s farms, making films in the Watershed, connecting with new communities across the city and making robots in Bristol’s robotics laboratory.
Keri Facer, Professor of Educational and Social Futures in the University’s Graduate School of Education, said: “The future is highly uncertain, with environmental, economic and technological change on the horizon. Schools are being asked more and more to focus on ‘the basics’ to the exclusion of richer experiences. There is a need to find ways to harness all the resources of the city to support young people to have rich experiences beyond the school walls.
“The 80by18 project aims to bring together people from Bristol’s different neighbourhoods, from its community, cultural, sporting, youth and heritage organisations to its technology and business communities and environmental and social movements, to create an exciting website showcasing 80 things that young people can do in Bristol before they reach 18.”
Once the list of 80 experiences have been finalised they will form the basis of a new online resource that will be available to young people in Bristol to sign up to in the autumn.
Professor Facer added: “We are hoping to generate as many ideas for activities as possible so if your organisation or community can help then please submit suggestions via the ‘80by18 project’ website. We will be reviewing all suggestions from Friday 5 April and will be contacting shortlisted organisations after this time. We’re hoping the site will be a great way to showcase all the activities and talents that the city has to offer."
The city-wide project, co-ordinated by the University of Bristol’s Graduate School of Education, is supported as part of Professor Keri Facer’s Arts and Humanities Research Council Connected Communities Fellowship with support from a number of partner organisations from the third sector, cultural, community, business and educational sectors of the city, these include MyFutureMyChoice, Lighting up Learning, ASDAN, Cabot Institute, Windmill Hill City Farm, Watershed, MShed, Ablaze and UWE Bristol.