Minor and possible Major project!

Having completed my placement at FYA, my passion for mentoring is stronger than ever. I have decided to carry this on into my minor and possibly major project by incorporating educational themes into my work. One of my favourite educational shows growing up was 'Blues Clues' as it took audiences on a journey that educated them in a fun manner.

With the combination of live action and animation, I see this style of film as a route into fusing together both the animation skills taught on the course, with the mentoring skills that I have gained throughout the last 3 years.

I can envisage myself creating the opening theme for a kids educational TV series for my minor project and creating an actual episode of the show for my Major project.

Drawing Session with Under 12s

A while back now, on the 1st June, I ran a drawing session with a dozen Under 12s at Fitzrovia Youth in Action. I created some guides on how to draw some popular cartoon characters, using the 'lines, squares, triangles and circles' technique taught on our course.

I took the students through the process, and here are some of their resulting pictures.

It was a very reassuring, and exciting experience as the children put what you have taught them to use.

Dynamics

Evaluation of Work Placement with Fitzrovia Youth in Action

Working at Fitzrovia Youth in Action has been a vital time in my life. Not only has it allowed me to learn life in an office environment, and accumulate a wide range of skills, it has also allowed me to find myself.

I began work with an enthusiastic outlook on my workload, looking forward to working on some of the video and magazine projects that I knew FYA produced. However, I was undoubtably a little skeptical, on how willing the staff would be on allowing me to do some of these more demanding tasks. Thankfully, the staff were more than willing to let me be an integral part of the team! I very quickly felt comfortable working in an office surrounded by staff and felt less and less of a student on work placement, and more of a genuine worker at Fitzrovia Youth in Action.

Having worked with young people in the past, I was hoping I would get a chance to do so at FYA. I was elated to find that I would have this opportunity 2 weeks in. Working with such a diverse range of kids, has confirmed my passion for working in a mentoring role with young people. I felt the same joy of helping people excel in what they do, that I did whilst working with students in the past. This reassurance, has led to me applying, and getting a job as a playscheme worker leading art based sessions with young people over the Summer.

I cannot be more thankful to the staff at Fitzrovia Youth in Action, and to UCA for allowing me to carry out work placement here. It has been an enjoyable, hard working and rewarding experience for me, driven by my passion for mentoring young people.

I hope to work within this field in the future!