Accolade for youth media initiative!

FreqOUT! has received coverage in Regeneration and Renewal magazine this month, adding to the wide coverage leveraged by the 'Catalyst Awards'. You can read the online article here. For more information on how you can volunteer with the FreqOUT! team contact Project Manager Jenny Irish on jirish@cwh.org.uk or call 02072452263.

FreqOUT! covered by the Society Guardian

The Wednesday 30th July issue of the Society Guardian covered news of the FreqOUT!'s 'Catalyst Award' win with the article also available here for online readers. The article outlines the power of social technologies when working with marginalised groups. A wide community of interest is developing in this innovative area, with interest from NESTA, BERR, the Cabinet Office, Unltd. and the Council on Social Action.

FreqOUT! covered by NESTA

This week the FreqOUT! project was covered in a press release issued by NESTA. The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts - a unique body with a mission to make the UK more innovative. NESTA invests in early-stage companies, inform and shape policy, and deliver practical programmes that inspire others to solve the big challenges of the future. You can view the press release here.

Westminster Summer University

This week FreqOUT! worked with young people recruited through Westminster's Summer Uni Scheme to create a digital record of their local area. 7 young people worked with lead artist Jonathan Hall to take photographs, video footage and record sounds around Queens Park.

Using only mobile phones and MP3 sound recorders the group created a fantastic online story of their local area using Google Earth.

There are still some places on the Summer Uni scheme- call Jenny on 020 7245 2263 for more information!

FreqOUT! wins Catalyst Award

FreqOUT! has been praised by the Prime Minister as it joined a list of winners at the inaugural UK Catalyst Awards this week. Vital Regeneration’s FreqOUT! project won the ‘Chalk & Cheese’ category for their groundbreaking technology projects which have worked with more than 400 young people in London who are disadvantaged.

Gordon Brown chatted with Vital Regeneration’s project team and beneficiaries before presenting the Catalyst Awards. Youth ambassadors for FreqOUT! explained to the Prime Minister how they use technologies such as GPS, PDAs, Web 2.0 and Bio-mapping to change society for the better and break the negative perceptions they often face. They illustrated how young people in Westminster worked with artist Christian Nold to investigate their perceptions of urban spaces using bio-mapping technologies. As a result, a report was presented to the local neighbourhood management team to inform plans for neighbourhood open spaces.

FreqOUT! Project Manager, Jenny Irish said, “winning a UK Catalyst Award is absolutely fantastic! This really rewards the efforts of the young people involved, who have got really involved and moved into areas such as market research, even setting up their own film companies. We are extremely proud to be recognised as a pioneer in the world of social technology and innovation. We are excited about the new relationships and opportunities that will arise as a result of winning.”

You can view photos from 'Make Your Mark' at the event here.