‘The sun is setting on adults’ imaginations and all us children are paying for their lack. And we need to put our point across – if the adults listen to our imaginations, listen to our thoughts properly, I think a lot more things would happen in the world.’
Member of Discover’s Children’s Forum
The Children’s Forum was formed in 2000 and was integral to the development of Discover. They were consulted at each stage of the project and many of the components that make Discover so special were derived from their original thoughts and ideas.
The Children’s Forum consists of a group of local children between the ages of 5-13 years who meet at Discover to express their views through open discussion and various arts based methods. For example, through film making, drama and art workshops, led by our Children’s Participation Co-ordinator and local artists.
As Discover has developed so has the Forum. This has led to the forming of a consultative relationship with Stratford City Development Partnership. The SCDP is responsible for regenerating Stratford and developing a 73 hectare site, which will house the Olympic Village in 2012. In 2004 the children worked with SCDP on a project called Tracking Changes which culminated in Hidden Stratford a documentary film made in collaboration with designers, architects, facilitators and developers. This documentary film focussed on the children’s view on outdoor spaces in Stratford, including abandoned petrol stations, Stratford’s Gyratory traffic system and other local parks. This film was then presented to key decision makers involved in the regeneration of Stratford.
The Children’s Forum is currently producing a quarterly newspaper entitled ‘Forum News’. The newspaper will concentrate primarily, though not exclusively on the Stratford City development and the Olympics. It will chart how the regeneration programme will affect Stratford and members of the Children’s Forum over the next few years.
Click here to read to read The Forum News
Click here to listen to the Children's Forum podcast on Fun Radio
For more information contact Daniele Duggan on 020 8536 5555 or daniele.d@discover.org.uk