Imagineers – Imagining Aberdeen

Places Where We Learn

The purpose of this session was to get the children to consider the places and spaces within their communities where they learn, and think about what sort of things they can learn there.

The children showed that both indoor and outdoor spaces are important for them to learn, and identified people who are important in their lives and how they help them to do their best. And what gets in the way of this.

How do adults help children do their best?

“They help us to learn and read.”
“By talking to us.”
“Help us to do stuff.”
“Let them play games if they have been chucked out of other games and help each other.”

In the community what gets in the way of a child being able to do their best?

“Bullies”
“Parents being drunk”
“Dogs running after you and trying to eat you alive”
“People interrupting us.”
“People shouting, being rude or being a nuisance.”
“Risky people.”
“People who are drunk, because they don’t listen.”

Incorporation of the UNCRC

Children’s Parliament has been asked by the Scottish Government to meet with the Imagineers to hear their views on how to turn the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into law in Scotland.

Children across the country have been asking the Scottish Government to do this for quite some time and, now that it is set to happen, the Imagineers have been sharing their voices and ideas on the Incorporation of the UNCRC into Scottish Law.

The Imagineers came up with some messages for the Scottish Government:

“Dear Scottish Government, the Children’s Parliament have just been learning about human rights and we would like you to pick 5 Imagineers to visit you to talk about children’s rights and think about the ones that are important and the ones we could wait on. Yours faithfully, MCP.”

“I thought that children’s rights should be laws because we’re just the same as adults, if not more creative.”

“Dear Scottish Government, I would like you to make children’s rights a law. We have been looking at children’s rights. I think that you should for direct incorporation. Yours faithfully, Jay.”

“I think that children’s rights are important because children should have control over their own life but should also have to be guided.”

#No Ball Games: An Artzine about Play and Risk

Summer for the Imagineers

Acts of Kindness

A Tobacco Free Aberdeen

Life at School: Our Primary School

Life at school: The Transition to Secondary School

Child Friendly Cities

Last week the Imagineers were invited to take part in a discovery session with UNICEF and Aberdeen City Council. There were other young people there too, from the Youth Council and Torry Squad.

As a group we thought of really good things about Aberdeen that make us proud to grow up here, like living beside the beach and our families. We also talked about challenges there are in Aberdeen, like not having space in the city centre for children to play.

After that we thought about things that we want adults to know, do and say to help make Aberdeen a child friendly city. We think that adults should pay attention to their kids more than electronic devices and make sure that children are safe on the internet. It’s also important that adults are good role models and teach children about their rights.

We also think that there aren’t enough fun things for older children to do in Aberdeen. Like in doctors waiting rooms there are only toys for younger children. We would like there to be an xbox or art things to do.

What Kind of Aberdeen? Culture + Play

Last week The Imagineers hosted their first ‘What Kind of Aberdeen’ sessions with adults at His Majesty’s.

All the adults who came work in Culture and Play and wanted to learn more about what children in Aberdeen need.

We took the adults on a journey over rocks and barriers to a city where all children are healthy, happy and safe.

Some barriers that we think can get in the way are:

Violence
Not getting enough fresh air
Having no one to talk to when you need it
If someone in your family is ill.

We also told the adults about things that they can do to help children.

Things like:

Listening to our feelings and asking how we are
Stay off their phones and pay attention
Respect children

At the end we wrote kind messages to the other people in our group to take home!

It was really fun being at His Majesty’s Theatre for the workshop too. We got a special tour of the theatre and even got to go on the stage!