Young people aged 14 to 20 from Stoke-on-Trent have developed an animated film to help families understand the Families First support programme. Working with local animation and visual communications studio Carse & Waterman, participants shaped the project from initial ideas through to the finished product.
What is Families First?
Families First aims to make support simpler, earlier and more effective by providing families with a single lead practitioner who co-ordinates services and helps them access the right support at the right time.
Skills and Experience Gained
The young people learned new creative and digital skills including scriptwriting, voice recording and animation. They also developed teamwork, communication and problem-solving abilities throughout the project.
Participants helped shape the key messages, storyline and script, considering how information could be communicated in a way that felt clear, relatable and engaging. Carse & Waterman then worked with their ideas and contributions to develop the finished animated film.
Daniel Waterman, co-founder and company director of Carse & Waterman, said: "One of the most valuable parts of this project was being able to work so closely with the very audience the campaign needed to connect with, which allowed us to develop something far more considered, well-researched and relatable."
He added: "For the young people, it was also a rare opportunity to experience a real visual communications brief from the blank-page stage, helping shape the idea, story and messaging while taking part in the same kinds of discussions and creative debates that happen every day in our studio."
Recognition and Next Steps
All participants received a work experience summary recognising their contribution, which they can use to support college applications, portfolios and future employment opportunities.
Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for children's services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: "Families First is all about making it easier for families to get the right support at the right time, so it was important that we found an engaging way to explain what the programme offers."
The animated film will be used as a communications tool to raise awareness of Families First and help children, young people and families across Stoke-on-Trent better understand the support available. The finished animation can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/1184142579/b91a0c0b37?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci.