Life Through My Lens: Understanding Young People Through Their Eyes

Context

Race, culture, ethnicity and faith/belief are a core part of a child’s identity, and services are tasked with the responsibility of understanding the child’s world, which includes an understanding of these identity markers, and designing services that meet the needs of the child. Whilst many services achieve this, evidence from case management reviews/practice safeguarding reviews across the UK document systemic failures. Often, the day-to-day lives of children and young people, including their identity markers, are over-looked or not explored in depth in professional assessments when working with families.

Professionals must therefore give greater focus to intersectionality: how issues of race, culture, class or economic status, language and religious identity, as well as other socio-economic factors including migration, overlap and merge when working with service users — particularly those of African, Asian or Caribbean backgrounds.

About this event:

Have you ever wondered what children and young people see when they look at their surroundings? What do they find beautiful, where do they find purpose and joy? What makes them feel a sense of safety and belonging? What makes home feel like home?

The Life Through My Lens project set out to answer these questions to aid assessments and interventions. We gave disposable cameras to 68 children and young people in Northern Ireland to capture their vision of what it means to live there with multiple identities to support the development of cultural literate practice within services and amongst practitioners to improve outcomes for children, young people, and families. Using the medium of ethnography, children and young people have shaped the learning of how race, culture, economic status, language and religious identity, and other socio-economic factors including migration, intersect and what this means to a young person as they navigate through society. The photographs taken tell an astounding story of the experiences of children and young people which, through this event, will bring together a variety of perspectives and encourage thoughtful reflection and discussion on what day-to-day life looks like for young people growing up in Northern Ireland and the part they can play in improving assessments and interventions.

We would like to invite you to be part of this experience by joining us for the launch of the film and exhibition as part of this exciting project where young people will share their stories.

Speakers currently include:

• Michelle Lee Izu - Executive Director, Barnardo's
• Rohma Ullah – Assistant Director for Barnardo’s SEEN
• Ann Ibrahim – Barnardo's NIRSS Service, Northern Ireland
• Tolu Ogunware – Director and photographer
• Megan Douglas – Trainee Educational Psychologist
• Doreen Idris - SEEN Ambassador
• Taleen Idris - SEEN Ambassador
• Aya Alissa - SEEN Ambassador

The day will be centred around the voice and experiences of the children, young people and families who participated in the project, who will also share their experiences

You will recieve a copy of:

• The two toolkits produced as part of the project
• The photobook
• The report containing the findings of the project

Agenda:

12:30 - 1:00: Registration and welcome

1.45 – 2:05 Documentary screening

2:05 - 2:15: Q&A Panel

2.35 - 3.00: Young people's stories

3.10 - 4.00: Interactive exhibition experience

Further information:

• The venue is wheelchair accessible
• Please indicate any dietary requirements when booking your place as a light refreshment will be provided

For more information on the event, please contact [email protected]

Host or Publisher SEEN. - Centre for African, Asian and Caribbean Children & Young People