In partnership with the New Citizenship Project and Crane Valley Partnership, giving space to hear young people's experiences of and visions for the waterways and green spaces in the Crane catchment.

 

 

Prior to the Forum, during the summer terms, Let's Go Outside and Learn deliver a series of workshops for schools around the Crane Valley catchment.

 

The workshops focus on 'visioning'  to explore how the young people relate to local nature spaces, how social action works and how we can make change in our green and blue spaces. 

The workshop activities stimulate conversation, encouraging young people to look at the environment around them -
to observe, reflect, review and compare,
to look towards improvement and gain experience making things happen with people and organisations.

Sessions enable students to reflect, discuss, get creative and ultimately see how group discussion and passion could enable them to put their hopes for these spaces into designs.

 

We ran the first workshops in 2023, and in 2024 they are back during the Summer terms again.

 

 

The Crane Valley Schools Forum forms part of a larger initiative with the Crane Valley Partnership. With the support of Thames Water, the Forum brings schools together to collate the ideas sparked during the workshops.

The young people present their ideas to an audience of supportive local decision-makers, councillors and representatives from partnership organisations.

 

The Forum allows for young people to speak directly to adults, an audience whose objectives are to understand:

What young people envisage for the future of these spaces

 

 

The students have an inspiring, contagious 'can do' attitude, with a perfect balance of competitiveness and respect, challenging themselves and the audience to engage in action.

 

The next Forum is in November 2024.