The new 2008 What Now? handbook is now available for young people in Lancashire.

If you are aged 16 to 25 and need information on anything from education to leisure, from relationships to the environment, then the What Now? book is for you.

It contains practical information, advice and signposting on a whole range of subjects and is written and produced in consultation with young people.

It’s designed to help you search and find information as quickly and easily as possible. The content is as accurate and up to date as we can make it and is completely independent and impartial – so that you can make your own decisions.

New Integrated Youth Support Service Info

The new What Now? book contains a new section on the Integrated Youth Support Service- a new service formed to give the best help and support on a wide range of issues, to young people in Lancashire.

The new section gives information on what the service has on offer in your area – so if you want to know about joining a youth club in Lancaster or enrolling on an award scheme in Leyland – then this section has the information and contact details you need.

And if you fancy seeing what your neighbouring area has to offer then you can see it all in one easy to use part of the book – its your service – use it!

Get Your Copy Now

If you are in year 11, you should receive a copy through school – ask your form, PHSE or Citizenship tutor or ask your youth worker for a copy.

But if you have any difficulty getting hold of a copy, just email your request using the link below, or call 01254 825155 and a shiny, brand new copy will be sent straight to you.

handbook@whatnow.co.uk

Tell Us What You Think

We hope you find the book useful and hope we have included everything you want to know about – but if we haven’t then we want to know that too – so tell us your comments below, your thoughts are priceless!!

We would love to hear how you use the book and how you think it should develop!

One day, One time, One place 54321! What now?

This Saturday marked the beginnings of the 2008 What Now extravaganza, based at the Plungington Youth and Community Centre in Preston. The day itself was a two parter:

First of all there was the hard part, with workshops that were organised for us to help create What Now services for young people in Lancashire. Activities we participated in were: Web Design, Photography, Graphic Design and Creative Writing, each with the purpose of improving the What Now information service.

Then came the fun part!! With the choice of DJing, Graffiti art, Music Writing and a Dance workshop, you were absolutely spoilt for choice, you’d done the hard work now was the time for the hard play. For all the work we had done, What Now had arranged for these to come in for us as a reward.

The best bits of the day were without a doubt:
Dinnertime – With good food and a great desert this was definitely one of the high points of the day
Photography – Learning how to take a good photo is much harder then it sounds but with a great mentor it was made easy to make a shot composition.

Blog Design – The main focus of this workshop was to design the What Now Blog, with a little help from Daz we redesigned the site you are reading this on.All in all these reporters thought that the day rated about 9 out of 10, it’s only downfall being that it wasn’t longer.

Nina Spot
Throughout the day, Nina was busy rushing about trying to keep the day in order, but nobody could find her! She would appear and disappear, as if by magic. Next year, we should make another workshop called “Where’s Nina?” (A variation on hide and seek).

Though I think we all owe her and the rest of the staff a big round of applause for the hard work that went into this years Consultation day!

Article written by: Kyle Murphy and Luke Greenwood.
Photographs taken by all the young people who came along on the day

The What Now? 2007 Consultation day is upon us again.

Doesn’t a year go quickly? The What Now? Young Person’s Consultation Event is upon us again and we hope its going to be the best one yet!!

The event is being held at Plungington Youth and Community Centre on Saturday the 28th of April 2007.

The aim of the day is to bring young people from all around Lancashire together to help us produce our new products for 2008. Those who attend will take an active part in writing, designing and taking photography for our Handbook, CD Rom and Website. As well as this, you can get involved in some fun and creative activities including DJing, MCing, Dance, Graffiti Art, Photography, Writing and Web Design workshops.

There are many advantages to attending the event. The things you write and the photographs you take will be put forward to be included within the book, website and CD-Rom. If you choose, your name and a group photo will be printed in the book to show that you have been involved in the production of it. Best of all, you will receive a personalised copy of the 2008 handbook and certificate recognising your participation – something you can include in your record of achievement.

So come along and enjoy the great activities and the scummy food!!

To book places and get more information about the day contact Nina Shaw on nina.shaw@ed.lancscc.gov.uk

How should the blog develop?

What is a Blog?
A blog is an on line diary or log about a particular subject. Ideas are posted on the blog and readers post their views and comments for others to read and comment on.

Why does What Now? Have a blog?
What now? Has a blog as a way of asking users and young people what they think about a particular idea, service or suggestion. It provides us with a quick way of consulting with young people about services and allows them a quick and easy way to tell us what they think about our services. It also allows young people to put forward ideas and suggestion of their own.

Your views
We want the blog to be used by young people and relevant to them. to achieve this we need your views on the following:

• Would you use a blog?
• What do you think is good about using a blog?
• What do you think is bad about using a blog?
• Do you think they are a good way for young people to communicate?
• What content would you like to see on the blog?
• Do you think we should have a monthly conversation topic for other young people to comment on?
• Do you think young people should submit and write the article each month?

Please let us know what you think by posting your comments below.

Have your say – Give us a quote…

Drugs, Relationships, Sex, Education, Health, Religion, Work, Money, Benefits, Housing, The Law, Leisure, Travel, The Environment, Politics, and Equal Opportunities.

All things that matter and have a big impact on your life – and things that most people have an opinion on.

Now’s your chance to think about what some of these things mean to you – and have your thoughts used as a quote to introduce the chapters in the What Now? book, CD and Website.  

It’s often said that we live in a sound bite culture – and now we would like to get a real sound bite on the issues that we cover in the What Now? book, CD  and Website– BUT from the people that count – you!

We want to introduce each chapter using a short quote on what that chapter means to you.
The chapters are: Drugs, Relationships, Sex, Education, Health, Religion, Work, Money, Benefits, Housing, The Law, Leisure, Travel, The Environment, Politics, and Equal Opportunities

We are open to anything – well virtually anything – that really sums up what the above subjects means to you for example – “I really got into healthy eating after I got picked for the school football team” – would be a great quote for the health chapter.

Or – “I never thought about religion until my Gran died – then I really wanted there to be something else so that I could have a chance to see her again – somewhere – anywhere” would paint a picture about what religion might mean to some people.

 So – over to you – but there are a few rules:

• No names –  we don’t want to be able to identify anyone!
• Nothing racist, prejudiced or offensive.
• We can’t name you in your quote – but you will know it was you and it will be great to see something you have written in print – in the book, on the CD and on the website.
• By submitting your quote you are giving us permission to edit and use it in our publications.

 So – get thinking and send us your thoughts!

What now? Road show

The What Now? Team are currently running sessions across Lancashire to publicise our products and services.

It’s a 1 to 2 hour session run in a fun, participative style which enables young people to try out the services for real.

The workers talk the young people through the services What Now? offer and then working in teams young people participate in a quiz, finding answers to questions though using What Now? Interactive services including:

1. Webtalk
2. Phone Line
3. Texting service
4. E-mail service
5. CD Rom and handbook

Prizes are given to the team that finish first. And, everyone receives an AQA certificate for taking part which can go in their Record of Achievement.

Calling all young people who have taken part in the session!!!

We would like to know what you thought of the session. Could we improve anything and if so how? We want your honest comments both good and bad so please comment away!

Calling all current and perspective youth advisors..

• Do you have opinions on any of What Now’s services?
• Ideas for new services?
• Do you use our services?
• Do want to have a real say in the development of our services?
• Are you between 13 – 19 years old?
 Then read on as we are planning two events in the coming year…

A good night for young people.

“A really good night” – that was the view of the 100 people or so who attended the official launch yesterday of the 2007 What Now? Handbook and CD Rom.

The event was held at Burnley FC’s Turf Moor and guests were welcomed by Youth Advisor Arron Taylor and later by Katherine Ashworth, assistant head of the youth service in Lancashire, who spoke about the development of the service and the important role played by information and advice services such as What Now?

Guests attending the launch could choose to attend workshops run by Doncaster Youth Service and Lancashire’s What Now? service to learn about how young people have been instrumental in developing the different elements of the What Now? Service – including the book, CD Rom and range of interactive services.

The highlight of the evening was a special What Now? Themed performance by Gibber (see below), one of the UK’s leading theatre groups for young people, who entertained with their take on Big Brother and The Weakest Link, spiced up with some impromptu audience participation!

The launch was a Lancashire Beacon event and was an excellent example of the positive youth engagement work that has contributed to Lancashire County Council gaining the prestigious Beacon status.