Big Soc. Training is a London-based social enterprise, launched in September 2010. We run social action media projects, undertake social research, and take a creative approach to passing on communication and life skills to participants.
Our biggest project to date is Dandelion, Young Citizens Journalism Project, an online magazine produced by young people in Haringey, and targeting young people. We encourage them to tell their life stories and voice their issues through photography and words. As practising creative industry professionals, we understand the expectations of employers and encourage a good work ethic. www.dandelionproject.org showcases our work.
Other projects have included: · ‘Deep Breath’, a quit-smoking campaign in partnership with the NHS and Barking and Dagenham College · Outreach provision for Media Trust, training young people in journalism · ‘Assets Trail’ for urban developers Arup, facilitating young people in Tottenham as they undertook interviews and took photographs and finally presented findings on regeneration needs at City Hall
About us: we are Helen Deal and Kaytea Budd-Brophy, and previously worked together in a challenging and diverse inner-London college community where over 230 languages were spoken. We both come from a creative background (writing and media; art and design) and prefer to engage participants in a practical, hands-on way, with the production of a creative product generally the final outcome.
How we engage participants: a relaxed yet challenging environment is the goal, where participants can work together on a specific brief to develop their communication skills, build confidence, and generally become more motivated and better equipped in any team situation or work place.
We encourage debate and help participants identify solutions to problems. Everyone should feel equally involved and positive about what they are doing. Typically participants project-manage themselves, after some initial skills-building activities with us or our other specialist associates. Our subsequent role is to guide, encourage and ultimately to hand-over a project completely. Ideally each project will have a long-term positive and sustainable impact on the wider community. Individual participants will so gain a sense of purpose from making a positive contribution.
