A groundbreaking initiative is utilising the borough’s historic buildings in a bid to inspire young people to enjoy learning.
Around 320 of the borough’s children are in alternative education. Barking and Dagenham Council has an ambitious aim to get them thriving, whether that’s in mainstream school, college or on an apprenticeship.
With that in mind, a three-year research project is exploring how the borough’s cultural and heritage assets can be leveraged to support vulnerable young people.
“Our House” aims to create an alternative education programme which allows young people to have the opportunity to not only visit local heritage spaces, but to take them over with their own creative expression.
The first year of the project is earmarked for research and experimentation, working with artists and educators to experiment with developing an inclusive, creative curriculum to inspire young people.
Two of Barking and Dagenham’s historic houses – Valence House and Eastbury Manor – will be the hubs for young people to learn and create with the expert guidance of various artists and creatives.
Local organisations Green Shoes Arts and Ideate are the lead artists for the project, spearheading the creation of the new programme. John Akinde, MD of Ideate explains: “I’m really excited by the prospect of exploring with the borough’s young people, over the coming year, how we can create an exciting curriculum of activities to capture their imagination. This is going to be a transformative journey for everyone involved.”
The project has been organised by Inspiring Futures, the Barking and Dagenham Cultural Education Partnership, and funded by Arts Council England.
Students from Dagenham Park CofE School, Mayesbrook Park School and Jo Richardson Community School were invited to feature in the Our House launch video, filmed on location at Valence House and Eastbury Manor. The young people got to meet several creatives and try their hand at things such as filmmaking, photography, drawing and drumming. They even got a mini masterclass in spoken word by Dauda Ladejobi.
Local artist Emmanuel Oreyeni taught students how to draw, showing them his skill by creating a pen drawing of a roman centurion, drawing inspiration from the artefacts on display in Valence House.
The drums, demonstrated by musician Steven Gaman were a big hit (excuse the pun!), Steven enjoyed his time with the young people, commenting: “It was a great pleasure working with the students, they were really locked in and focused. With the right guidance they can do some amazing things!”
In a session at the 450-year-old Eastbury Manor House, John Akinde taught students from Jo Richardson Community School how to rap; drama student Goodness Osuiji said: “It was a really good opportunity to express myself.” Fellow drama student Hannah Ajayi added, “It’s a great place to learn.”
Michelle Walker, London Area Director, Arts Council England, said: “We are delighted to support ‘Our House’, a fantastic initiative that leverages the borough’s rich heritage and cultural assets to inspire creativity and a passion for education in young people.
“It’s inspiring to see this at the forefront of Barking and Dagenham Council’s priorities, and we eagerly await the results of the first phase.”
Councillor Elizabeth Kangethe, Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment & School Improvement said: “Our House is a truly transformative project that combines education, creativity, and heritage in such a unique way. By unlocking the potential of our local spaces, we’re showing young people that learning can be dynamic and exciting, while also fostering a sense of pride in their community.”
As part of the project, the organisers will be building an archive of heritage materials and new artistic work of young people in Barking and Dagenham. The idea is to help tell the story of the borough and contribute towards young people feeling a sense of self and belonging as part of the Barking and Dagenham community. If you grew up in the borough and would like to contribute a photo, video, or original artwork from when you were a young person, please visit the Our House website.