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22/11/2007 - Wotson4u? - Cumbria's young people launch their own website

A new website by, and for, Cumbria's young people was launched on Friday 23 November.

As part of 11 MILLION Takeover Day the website - http://www.wotson4u.com/this external link will open in a new window - was launched at Carlisle library with music, competitions and displays, and at venues around the county.

11 MILLION Takeover Day is a national day where organisations and businesses across the country are promoting putting young people at the very heart of decision-making.

The Youth Work in Cumbria Partnership and the county council's Children's Information Service have been working with young people to create wotson4u.com. Aimed at 13 - 19 year olds, it will provide as much information as possible for them about local activities all on the one site.

The idea for the website came about because young people said they weren't taking part in activities because they simply didn't know about them. 

The website includes information about everything from drama clubs to music lessons, sports activities to youth groups, volunteering and a lot more. 

The launch saw teenagers across the county get their first taste of the site and - importantly - give feedback on how it could be even better. Every completed feedback form went into a free prize draw. 

Cumbrian bands 'Shore' and Test the Tone' were at the Carlisle library launch, along with information stands from Cumbria Fire and Rescue and the Police. Carlisle United's mascot Olga the Fox also went along. 

Some pages on the website will change regularly, as they will be featuring book and music reviews, including a 'local band of the month' section. These will be sent in by the young people themselves who can also send in music and photos of themselves taking part in activities around the county. The website will try to feature as many as possible.

Other launches of the website took place at Whitehaven Harbour Youth Project, the Drop Zone cafe in Barrow, Ulverston Youth Base, Eden Rural foyer, as well as Connexions centres and youth libraries across the county.

There were free gifts for everyone who came along to the launches, including t-shirts, pens and keyrings promoting wotson4u.

All the pictures of young people on the website come from a professional photo shoot that took place at SJ Studios in Wigton where young people from around the county were invited to come and model for the pages.

County councillor Jim Buchanan is Cabinet member for Children's Wellbeing. He said: 

"This is a great project, which sees young people having a real say in the design and content of what is most definitely their site.

"There were a whole host of activities taking place around the county aimed at young people, and was important thet they got to hear about as many of them as possible so that they could have a real choice about what they want to do - be it sport, art, music, volunteering, or getting together with like minded people."

The council's director of Children's Services is Moira Swann. To promote 11 MILLION Takeover Day, she was shadowed for the day by two students at Queen Katherine's in Kendal.

She said:

"The launch of this new website, and 11 MILLION Takeover Day itself, are great examples of really getting young people involved in giving their views and having a say. 

"It is vital that young people play their part in our decision making, and it is something we are working at embedding in every one of our services."

Gavin McKew from Children's Services has been working with young people to create to website.  He said:

"The launches went really well; the most important thing was for children and young people to look at the website and give us their feedback - what they liked and didn't like - so that we can make changes to improve it.
 
"As well as the feedback forms, around thirty people have said they would like to get more involved in developing the site, which is brilliant news - because it's their site.
 
"The next step will be to visit schools around the county to promote it"

Go to http://www.wotson4u.com/this external link will open in a new window  to find out the latest information for, and about, young people.

For more information about the website, or to get an event or activity included, contact the county council's Children's Information Service on 01228 601197

For more information on the county' s involvement in 11 MILLION Takeover Day, including the Police, Connexions, and the county council, go to http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/childrensservices/

End

Further information from Alison Lister, media team, on 01228 606335

Notes

The image shows the Carlisle 'flyer' for the launch taking place in Carlisle. More information about local events for 11 MILLION Takeover Day are at http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/ Information on the national campaign is at http://www.11million.org.uk/this external link will open in a new window

'wots on 4 u' Carlisle launch poster