Amplifying Youth Voice at Northorpe Hall Child & Family Trust Part 2.

Taking part in a photo voice project has lots of positives for those involved, its a great way of connecting people, sharing thoughts, experiences and collaborating around the things that are important to the people present.

But that’s only part of the potential of Participatory Photography - the opportunity to open up conversations with a wider audience presents itself through hosting an event or exhibition.

I am always a little bit challenged by the word ‘exhibition’ because (for me at any rate) the idea of an exhibition can be quite formal and so I work hard to ensure that spaces we use are welcoming, friendly and the layout is conducive to conversation.

Whilst it is a creative process in lots of ways, photovoice isn’t necessarily about art - I think it’s bigger than that. Yes it’s creative and yes people can approach it with an artistic spirit if they desire but there’s no expectation of that. It’s not really even about photography in lots ways too. It’s about voice.

We use images as a way into conversation and connection. With Photovoice we have the opportunity to open up a dialogue, a two way conversation between the photographers and those viewing their work which for me is a much more exciting and interesting prospect.

This event as part of the Youth Voice project with Northorpe Hall was a lovely celebration of our tim spent together and an opportunity to share that with a selected audience of friends, family and colleagues.

As well as acknowledging the achievements of the young people who took part and displaying their photos and words, we invited the audience to share their thoughts and reflections with us through feedback forms and QR codes which is great on one level.

We asked people:

How did the photos in the exhibition make you feel?

“Part of something special”

“Happy”

“Welcomed & Accepted”

“Proud of the young people, moved by some of the photos”

“I felt like I was on an adventure! Also made me feel like I’d suddenly made lots of new friends”

“Inspired, touched by some of the thought provoking images”

What did you enjoy most about the exhibition?

“The variety of subjects represented”

“The diversity of images and seeing what they have meant to people”

“How different everyone’s life experiences have been”

“Meeting old and new friends”

“I loved the photos and getting peoples different points of view”

“So proud. 2 years ago my daughter would never have got up and spoken so openly in full of people”

“Listening to everyone talk about the project & what it meant to them”

“The honesty of the statements and the variety in he subject matter

I also invited people at their tables into conversations with each other using photos as prompts to consider what a good life looks like for them - involving them in the same kind of interactions and reflections that we used during the photovoice project.

I am so grateful to all of the people involved in this project for making it such a wonderful experience - I learn so much from the people I am privileged to work alongside!