Regent Park Focus: O'Connor and Flemingdon-Thorncliffe Youth Media Arts Project

http://www.flemocity.com/

The O'Connor and Flemingdon-Thorncliffe Youth Media Arts Project has given Regent Park Focus the opportunity to expand their services to the O'Connor community. They have partnered with the YMCA job readiness program, to work with youth who are out of work and school.

Participants attend a three-month media literacy and life skills training program which consists of workshops and hands-on opportunities to create documentaries and videos. The program gives participants an opportunity to enhance their employable skills as well as explore their interests in film and media arts.

The second part of the initiative is a partnership with Flemingdon Community Centre and local youth to create a youth-focused magazine. A core group of participants attend weekly sessions to enhance their understanding of the production process and outreach to other youth as contributors. They are responsible for deciding on the content, layout and the final publication.

46 youth have participated in the video production component and 20 have graduated. Two youth graduates were hired on to assist with in-class activities. One graduate has gone on to pursue studies in film and was contracted to direct and film a music video for a hip-hop artist. Participants have created public service announcements which were used as part of a Drug Awareness Week campaign. 

To date, a core group of 13 youth have successfully published two quarterly magazines; approx. 20 youth have contributed as freelance writers and photographers.