Matthew / age 18 / Milton Keynes
At 10 years of age, Matthew Alden-Farrow was diagnosed with Dyspraxia, a neurological disorder which affects the messages sent from the brain to the body, causing clumsiness, hypersensitivity, speech problems and a host of other issues. By 11, he had created Matts-Hideout.co.uk, a website for him to talk about his frustrations with his disorder. He soon had a number of readers and the website expanded into a forum for young people from all over the UK and internationally to chat online about the issues they face with Dyspraxia. Now 18, Matt is continuing his campaign to raise awareness about Dyspraxia by giving talks and keeping connected to the more than 500 active users on his website.
Simon, Jay, Rebecca, Kieran, Dean, Claire, Michelle, April, Nathan and Amy / age 15-18 / Wigan
Homophobia is something that is faced by many young people every day and is something the 15 - 24 year olds in the B.yoU youth project in Wigan are very familiar with. To raise awareness about homophobia and lesbian, gay and bi-sexual (LGB) issues, they adapted the play Romeo & Juliet, to artistically express to people what it means to be LGB. The group has performed at hate crime conferences, local council conferences in Wigan, pride parades and local schools. At the end of each performance the group facilitates discussion with the audience getting feedback and answering questions. They've had a tremendous impact in Wigan, though many LGB youth still face harassment and bullying. To keep their campaign going, the group is now working on an adaptation of the classic, Oliver Twist, which they hope to begin performing in October 2008.
Marley, Georgina, Sian and Skyler / age 13-16 / Tairgwaith, Wales
What? Two years ago, Marley, Georgina, Sian and Skyler, a group of 13-16 year olds from a tiny mining community in Wales were looking for something interesting to do with their spare time. They came up with Circle of Youth and began producing regular newsletters to inform people about local activities and the history of their community. They have since produced 20 newsletters and are regularly stopped on the street by community members wanting to chat about their articles. In addition, they produced a DVD on the history of Tairgwaith and got community members involved in creating a garden for their local community as before, there was no place for people to enjoy nice weather. Having inspired many elderly residents to come forward with their stories about Tairgwaith, the group is planning another more comprehensive DVD on their community and continues to write newsletters.