Abdul shares a short summary of his project plan and review from a Silver leadership project covering for example:
Practical issues
Timescales
Promotion of the project
Recruitment to the project
Delivery of the project
Collecting feedback & evaluation
Overcoming challenges
Hey, I'm Abdul, a 22-year-old from Great Whelnetham, embarking on my Silver Arts Award. For Unit 2, I teamed up with my friend and fashion illustrator, Sam, to run an exciting series of workshops for the local youth club at the village hall. Our goal was to nurture our leadership skills while providing a fun and creative experience for the young participants.
We created a project plan that pulled together what we wanted to get out of the workshop, what we were going to do when, and how we would achieve our project
Objective: To organise and host a fascinating fascinator series of workshops for the youth club at the village hall, promoting creativity, leadership, and community engagement.
Practical Issues
a. Ensure proper communication and coordination to avoid scheduling mishaps.
b. Explore cost-effective options for materials due to budget constraints, utilising newspaper, old CDs, DVDs, and repurposed headbands.
Timescales
Week 1: Planning - Define workshop objectives, roles, and responsibilities.
Week 2: Material Gathering - Source and repurpose materials for the workshop.
Week 3: Promotion - Design posters, flyers, and social media content for participant recruitment.
Week 4: Workshop Preparation - Set up the venue, organise tools, and finalise participant list.
Week 5: Deliver first session.
Week 6: Deliver second session.
Week 7: Deliver third session.
Week 8: Deliver fourth session and do a public sharing of what’s been made.
Week 9: Carry out evaluations and follow-ups.
Promotion:
a. Create eye-catching posters and flyers to be displayed in local schools and community centres.
b. Utilise social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram) to reach a wider audience.
c. Collaborate with the village hall and youth club for support and word-of-mouth promotion.
Recruitment:
a. Leverage existing relationships with the village hall and youth club to recommend the workshop to their members.
b. Encourage word-of-mouth referrals from participants to attract more attendees.
Delivery:
a. Sam's Role: Lead the creative side, teaching participants to make fascinating fascinators with her expertise in fashion illustration.
b. Abdul's Role: Coordinate logistics, manage communication, and ensure a smooth flow of the workshops.
Collecting Feedback & Evaluation:
a. Encourage open communication with participants throughout the workshops to gather feedback on their experiences.
b. Maintain a journal to track progress as leaders, identifying areas for growth and improvement.
Budget Management:
a. Keep track of expenses for materials and promotional materials.
b. Seek sponsorship or donations from local businesses to supplement the budget if needed.
Mini Fashion Show:
a. Organise a mini fashion show where participants can showcase their creations on a catwalk.
b. Invite friends, family, and the community to attend the fashion show to celebrate the participants' achievements.
Follow-up and Post-Workshop Evaluation:
a. Send thank-you notes or emails to participants, expressing gratitude for their participation.
b. Gather feedback from participants on the workshop's impact and suggestions for improvement.
c. Reflect on leadership development, identifying successes and areas for further growth.
Long-term Impact:
a. Explore possibilities of organising future workshops and creative events in collaboration with the youth club and community.
b. Continue to promote creativity, art, and leadership development within the community.
Practical Issues: We faced some challenges, like accidentally turning up on the wrong day initially. Also, our budget constraints limited material choices, but we embraced creativity by utilizing newspaper, old CDs, DVDs, and repurposed headbands.
Timescales: Our workshop spanned four weeks. We allocated time for planning, gathering materials, promoting the event, hosting the workshop, and organising the mini fashion show.
Promotion: To attract participants, we designed eye-catching posters and flyers, reaching out to local schools and the community centre. Social media platforms were utilised for wider reach.
Recruitment: We collaborated with the village hall and youth club, who kindly supported our project by recommending it to their members. Word-of-mouth also played a role in recruiting participants.
Delivery: With Sam's expertise in fashion illustration and my passion for organising events, we divided tasks seamlessly. Sam led the creative side, teaching participants to make fascinating fascinators, while I coordinated logistics and managed communication.
Collecting Feedback & Evaluation: Throughout the workshops, we encouraged open communication with the participants to gather feedback on their experiences. Additionally, we kept a journal to track our own progress as leaders and identify areas for growth.
Challenges & Overcoming them
Attracting Participants: We were initially concerned about attracting enough young people to the workshop. To overcome this, we focused on creating engaging promotional material and emphasised the uniqueness of the experience.
Budget Constraints: Our limited budget made it challenging to source materials. However, with resourcefulness and creativity, we found innovative ways to repurpose items, sparking excitement among the participants.
Work Division: Sam’s flair for fashion illustration made her the perfect candidate to lead the creative segment of the workshops. Her passion and patience inspired the young participants to explore their creativity.
As for myself, I took on the role of organiser and coordinator. I managed the practical aspects of the project, ensuring everything ran smoothly and efficiently. Sam and I collaborated closely, ensuring we complemented each other's strengths and provided comprehensive support to the participants.
Conclusion
Our fascinator workshops for the Silver Arts Award was an incredible journey of creativity, learning, and growth. Overcoming practical challenges and collaborating with my friend Sam highlighted the importance of strong teamwork and resourcefulness in leadership.
The smiles and excitement on the faces of the 6 to 12-year-olds during the mini fashion show were priceless. Witnessing their newfound confidence and creativity was incredibly rewarding. As we collected feedback and evaluated our leadership skills, we realised the immense impact small community initiatives can have.
Through this project, I learned that leadership is about embracing challenges, working collaboratively, and empowering others to discover their talents. Sam and I are excited to continue developing our leadership skills and exploring more opportunities to inspire and uplift our community through art and creativity.