Project Merseyside puts creativity at heart of community learning initiative
Greg Dyke, Director-General of the BBC, today committed the BBC to using broadband interactive technology to foster creativity in the community when he launched Project Merseyside, the BBC's new community learning initiative in the North West.
Speaking at LIPA, the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, for the launch of Project Merseyside he said: "With Project Merseyside we aim to place the BBC and its partners at the heart of the local learning agenda by encouraging creative skills amongst children, young people and adults.
"Broadband interactive technology can support teaching and help guide everyone from the school pupil to a retiree through a lifetime of learning.
"These are fundamental responsibilities of a modern public service broadcaster, the special things that the BBC delivers to audiences, things the market never would."
Project Merseyside aims to reach sections of the community, including young people and people from ethnic minorities, who could get more out of the BBC. Interactive learning through digital and broadcast technologies is key to the portfolio of offerings.
The hub of the BBC's activity is a new and extended open centre at BBC Radio Merseyside in Paradise Street, Liverpool which was opened by Greg Dyke and the popular Liverpool actor Ricky Tomlinson today.
BBC Radio Merseyside is the most popular BBC local station in England, with an audience of half a million listeners a week.
This builds on the idea already piloted in three other areas - Blackburn, Sheffield and Stoke - of opening BBC Local Radio premises to visitors and offering internet access and learning facilities with tutor support from local education authorities. The first, in Blackburn, had 2,000 registered learners in its first year.
Notes to Editors
Greg Dyke's speech made at today's event.
The Project Merseyside project involves the BBC working closely with a range of local partners to encourage children, teenagers and adults to develop their creative talents and learn new skills.
The local Merseyside partners include the Liverpool Community College, Liverpool John Moores University, the emerging media centre Toxteth TV, the Ariel Trust, Wired-Up Communities, the Workers Educational Association, the Health Action Zone, the Foyer Federation, City Learning Centres, football clubs - plus the six Merseyside local education authorities - Halton, Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral.
Project Merseyside supports the development of skills which boost employment opportunities and encourage and facilitate creativity - and will showcase the results.
It offers a range of activity both on BBC premises and at local centres across Merseyside. This includes:
· six-hour taster sessions (delivered in partnership with local providers and funded by the Learning and Skills Council) which give young people a flavour of TV and Radio production, journalism and DJ'ing, digital and music technologies;
· use of the BBC's own training and development materials;
· workshops, masterclasses and "have-a-go" sessions with BBC staff, mentorships and secondments;
· WebActive, the planned next phase of the BBC's internet literacy project, WebWise, providing the tools and support to enable people to produce their own web content or to contribute to the BBC's interactive online sites (such as the Merseyside local history site);
· a radio project, with on-site production in schools, youth centres and other community locations.
· Project Merseyside will also make available material related to the curriculum.
In addition Project Merseyside will also support Blast - a UK-wide arts initiative for teenagers.
Developed by the BBC in partnership with youth and arts bodies around the country, Blast helps 13-19 year-olds to realise their creative potential in music, film-making, dance and art.
Using TV, local radio, online, roadshows - and a network of local advice and support - Blast aims to inspire young people to put on their own performance or event, leading to a weeklong festival across the UK between 24 and 31 August. Work resulting from this will be showcased on BBC TWO this autumn.
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