Education

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Make (Good) Trouble and Sussex University are thrilled to announce the award winning comic and audiobook Sci-Fi series, The Rez has been awarded a PSHE Quality Mark for their new teaching guide and school lesson plans for Key Stage 2.

Make (Good) Trouble worked with the PSHE Association, Sussex University and educators to develop the lesson plans which support teachers in delivering lessons on kindness as part of PSHE education. The guides are designed to create a safe and engaging learning environment in which to teach about kindness and communication

“Our research shows that unfortunately a significant proportion of children are frequently on the receiving end of bullying behaviours. Developing empathy and encouraging kindness can make a big difference when it comes to bullying, so resources that support teachers to bring this into their classroom this are extremely valuable.”  Martha Evans, Director of Anti-Bullying Alliance

The Rez was developed by UK Comic Book Laureate Hannah Berry and a team of writers and psychologists, including Robin Banerjee, Professor of Kindness and Head of Psychology at University of Sussex. 

This comic book contains pro-social and emotional well-being messaging about friendship and kindness, designed to help young people prepare to negotiate emotional difficulties and stresses.

The Rez’s heroes are played by Karl Queensborough, who played Hamilton in the West End show of the same name, and Emily Burnett, Children’s BAFTA award winner.

👉 Download the lesson plans here!

The Rez is produced in collaboration with: 

Make (Good) Trouble CIC
University of Sussex
PHSE Association
Arts Council England
University of Brighton
Hopscotch
Anti Bullying Alliance
Periscope
Millipedia

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We are delighted to offer a new Make (Good) Trouble Summer Club this August in partnership with East Sussex County Council Holiday, Activity and Food Programme. It’s for children aged between 12 and 16 and entitled to benefits-related free school meals. The course is free. 

If your child is interested, you can find out more here and apply. Please pass the link on to anyone you know who might like to come along.

The Club runs from Monday 2 August to Thursday 26 August 2021

Our Summer Club will provide fun and creative Media Production sessions led by young people. 

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:

  • Creating short films using editing and audio skills
  • Learning interview skills
  • Photography including composition, shot lists, editing
  • Creating content for social media including graphics and video
  • Sound recording and editing
  • Sound effects and music integration
  • Research skills

Children attending the sessions will also have time to engage in outdoor activities each day in order to maintain a healthy balance of exercise and team building.

The young makers who attend the club will be awarded Digital badges for their CV on completion of this project. Make (Good) Trouble is a partner of the RSA Cities of Learning programme, designed to provide practical pathways to employment. In 2020 we awarded 54 Cities Of Learning Digital Badges, accredited by City and Guilds, to young people across the South East.  

Times and dates: 11am-3pm, Monday to Thursday, 2-26 August 2021

Ages: 12-16 years

Location: Westfield House, East Sussex County Council, County Hall, St Anne’s Crescent, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1UE 

  • Help with transport to the location can be provided. 
  • Lunch and beverages will be provided. Please let us know of any dietary requirements.
  • All our Make (Good) Trouble team are DBS checked, risk assessments completed, and Covid Guidelines will be followed. 
  • We have places for a maximum of 10 young people, on a first come, first-served basis
  • Parents/carers can sign up their children by completing our form (please note, we only have 10 places and will let you know by email if you have secured a place). 
Find out more and sign up

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Anne Longfield’s final speech today as Children’s Commissioner for England put children front and centre and asked the government if it is “serious about ‘building back better’ and ‘levelling up’?” Anne had a lot to say about the need for better care for vulnerable young people whose problems have been exacerbated by Covid.

What really struck a chord with us was Anne’s point that “the system needs to help professionals develop relationships with children.” And whilst this might seem like a no-brainer, she also said, “I have been shocked to discover that many officials have never met any of the children they are responsible for.”

This point is fundamentally at the heart of Make (Good) Trouble’s ethos, which is to give young people a voice, and to give them agency in their own lives and their futures. Young people are co-creators on all our projects, giving them new and transferable skills in digital media production in the process.

Stats on England's left behind children from Anne Longfield's final speech
Stats on England’s left behind children, slide from Anne Longfield’s final speech
Anne Longfield’s final speech as Children’s Commissioner for England

During her six-year tenure as Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne has been a brilliant champion for children. She made time to connect with Make (Good) Trouble and was interviewed by our young reporter Lola, and later by a group of teens who answered Anne’s questions.

Lola interviews Anne Longfield

Anne’s focus has been to listen to the voices of young people, and particularly vulnerable children such as those in care or those in detention “in secure children’s homes, secure training centre, young offenders institutions, mental health wards and other residential placements, either for their own safety or the safety of others”. Her focus on building up good data on children has shone a light on those in poverty or at risk of being drawn into gangs and county lines. “Vulnerable children stay in the ‘its too difficult’ box”, she said, adding, “people in charge of the system, don’t understand the needs of children”.

Impacts of the pandemic on children: slide from Anne Longfield’s final speech
Liv, Jude, Lola and Gemma answer Anne Longfield’s questions

If you have time, we also recommend you listen to this podcast episode where Anne speaks to children involved with Football Beyond Borders – a fantastic organisation who help children who are struggling at school by using their passion for football to engage them and improve their life chances.

Find out more about the work of the Children’s Commissioner:

The Children’s Commissioner of England website
Follow Anne Longfield on Twitter
Follow The Children’s Commissioner on Twitter
Follow The Children’s Commissioner on Facebook
Subscribe to The Children’s Commissioner on YouTube

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We’re really chuffed to see our First World War project, We Are Poppy, featured on the Heritage Fund website – alongside other brilliant projects – if you’re looking for something to feed your brain and soul, there are some amazing online events, workshops, videos and podcasts listed, many created by community-focused organisations like Make (Good) Trouble.

We Are Poppy was co-created by teens and was completed during the pandemic – much of it through Zoom workshops and brainstorms. Our team worked incredibly hard and created a thoughtful, innovative and insightful project that opened a window on the lives of women living through the First World War, looking into how women’s experiences affected their mental heath. These are the hidden histories of that war.

Other projects from the list include Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre’s live daily dolphin watch (5am to 11pm) and Alexandra Palace’s free online photography project for young people aged 16-24 (you can sign up now!).

https://twitter.com/HeritageFundUK/status/1355078330953949187?s=20

Huge thanks to the Heritage Fund and, if you play the National Lottery, thanks to you too. Your contribution made this project possible.

Teen in WW1 and modern dress