Imagineers – Page 2 – Imagining Aberdeen

Looking for a new year’s resolution for 2017?

These 30 ideas for adults come from the children who are Imagining Aberdeen…. Go on! Pick one!

My new year’s resolution is that I will:

Spend less time on my phone
Give up smoking
Drink less alcohol
Spend more time having fun with my kids
Be a good role model for children
Realise children make mistakes and so I won’t get angry with them
Give children more respect
Stop swearing in front of children
Take more interest in my children’s work
Always treat people the same
Not be sad, be happy
Always smile
Get on better with my family
Help my children to learn to stay safe
Shout less
Give help to people when they need it badly
Give more love to my kids
Do what I can to stop racism
Do what I can to stop bullying
Do what I can to stop killing and bombing
Not leave my children in the house
Get on better with my children’s grandparents
Won’t lie to my kids (surprises are okay)
Stop drinking in front of my children
Help my children with everything
Eat healthier
Do more exercise
Go to the gym
Stop taking drugs
Do stuff with my children that they want to do

Merry Christmas from the Imagineers

‘We had Christmas lunch with every Imagineer. We made a 2017 because it is the new year and we have been working with the Children’s Parliament for a year. One group covered the 2, one the 0 and so on. We covered it in paper and coloured it in with sharpies. We put the 2017 on the ground and took a photo for a card and the blog. We came up with ideas for new year resolutions for adults – things they should get rid of and do. I wrote ‘spend more time with your kids’. We have chicken, pizza and sausage rolls for Christmas lunch. It was great because it was with all my friends and good food.

I feel happy that I have changed Aberdeen a bit by getting more people to look at Children’s Rights.’

Aidan

‘We wrote how we felt and what we were doing on the back of photographs of some of the things we have done as Imagineers. Colin read out scrolls with poems about all the Imagineers – what we are like and how good we are.’

Katie

A visit to Union Terrace Gardens

Manor Park and Bramble Brae Imagineers have been walking around Union Terrace Gardens looking at the art, thinking about what’s good and bad and how to change the gardens. It’s part of the City Centre plans for Aberdeen.

‘We like the mural but not the mess and stuff lying about. We will write a report when we see the plans for the Union Terrace Gardens in December.’

Bramble Brae Imagineers

Celebrating Children and Young People

For Aberdeen City Council’s Celebration of Children and Young People, Imagineers ask staff and visitors at Marischal College what they can do to make their vision of Aberdeen as a healthy, happy and safe place happen.

I was asking people if they would like a tour of the mural. Many people said ‘No, I am too busy’ or ‘I have a meeting’ but the people who did it liked it!

Leo

‘We were giving tours of the mural. Telling grown ups about how the inside of the bubble is how the Imagineers imagine Aberdeen to be. Before we started talking to the grown ups we felt nervous but excited. We were really happy giving tours.’

Aidan, Mikey, Ralfs and Gabrielle.

‘We were asking what can you do to make the ideas in the mural happen? We decorated cards and then asked grown ups to write down their ideas. The tree looked amazing and colourful – an Imagineer Christmas tree. We hope the adults do what they said they would.’

Sean-Paul, Katie and Keira.

Here are the commitments that the adults made to helping make the Imagineers vision happen:

Be more friendly to others. Keep the streets clean. Make sure everyone picks up their litter. Never be mean to children. Love the city. Try hard. Smile more. Invest in our children. Be helpful to people. Make children happy. Invest in the environment by building more parks, playgrounds and better buildings. Love everybody all of the time. Listen to children’s views. Care for our children. Be supportive. Encourage creativity in everything we do. Tell children they are great! Recycle and look after my grand-daughter.

Imagineer Toolbox

The Imagineers have been developing qualities like being respectful, helpful, confident, a good listener, team player and fun.

‘In my box I have lots of tools like a saw, a hammer and a spanner. On them I have written what I need to be an Imagineer – to be respectful, kind, friendly and brave.’

Aidan

‘The tool I need to work on more is being able to compromise.’

Leo

‘Gabrielle helped me chose a tool that is a quality I have a lot of. We chose hard-working.’

Keira

Children and Young People are the Future: Let’s Listen and Learn

The Imagineers were invited to be a part of Aberdeen City Council’s Integrated Children’s Services conference on Children and Young People are the Future: Let’s Listen and Learn. They took part in a panel discussion with Gayle Gorman, Director of Education & Childrens Services and Aberdeen Care Experienced young people. The Imagineers showed the Imagining Aberdeen video and facilitated a workshop for professionals who want to work more with children.

‘We went to the Beach Ballroom. We spoke in front of loads of people to Gayle. I said that the lighthouse was the most important part of the mural because it had messages to adults about children. I think the most important message to adults is ‘give us support when we need it.’ I felt excited, nervous and happy. Then we had a meeting with grown ups. We watched the video and then asked them ‘how do you listen to children?’ I now think the adults have to make the changes.’

Imagineer Miriam

Torry Capacity Day

We had a great time at the Torry Capacity Day, showing people the mural and talking with other young people who are keen to make a difference in Torry. And it was a pleasure to have our very own Imagineer, Sean-Paul with us.

‘Imagining Aberdeen is great bcos it shows what children want – a bright, happy and fun Aberdeen.’

Torry Squad

‘I’d have more police at the skatepark to keep it safe’

Imagineer Sean-Paul

Imagineers meet with Aberdeen Head Teachers

On Thursday the 15th of September we had a team building morning with the Imagineers. The idea behind this was to get the children working together and to practice listening to each other. We also had to work together to prepare for our meeting with 80 of the Head Teachers from across Aberdeen. When we met with the Head Teachers, Demi, Gabrielle, Shannon, Dylan and Abdullah introduced the film and explained that we were going to be working with them on an activity focusing on how they as Head Teachers can make schools a joyful and happy place.

‘First in the day we played some fun games like drawing and throwing the ball to each other. After that we got the speeches and we made pyramids of things that we think are important. We made one for the head teacher’s too. I had Miss Murray, Mr Hendry and Mrs Reid from my school.’

Imagineer Demi

‘We played a game where you have to throw a ball to each other and we had to put the stick onthe floor. After this game we talked about what we would be doing for the meeting. After lunch we had the meeting with the head teachers. It was scary!!’

Imagineer Malachy

Award won by Imagineers

Children from the four schools participating in Imagining Aberdeen attended the Aberdeen City Council’s Children and Young Persons Award Ceremony on the 12th of October. On behalf of all the Imagineers involved in the project; Shannon, Dylan, Sean-Paul and Ralfs each represented their school at the ceremony. The Imagineers came away with the award for the Children and Young People’s Champions.