Black Butterfly Project: May 2010

Thursday 27 May 2010

PERU - SKIP (Newsletter May 2010)

A new photography workshop began in April that gives 12 secondary students an opportunity to express themselves through photography and make a statement about the world they live in. Each Saturday morning in the SKIP school for 12 weeks, the students receive photography classes from a qualified and experienced instructor. They learn about different methodologies of picture taking, perspective, lighting, etc.

The theme of the project is to explore dreams and reality so the young people can express their hopes for the future and think about the reality of their situation at the moment. There will be an exhibition of their work in Trujillo and a competition to select the most artistic photograph. We are also going to make SKIP calendars this year using the images.

The SKIP photograph workshop supports our development model that empowers individuals to take control of their own circumstances and our commitment to providing educational opportunities for the children of El Porvenir. It is an opportunity for young people to learn about photography, learn how to take pictures, feel pride in their achievements, and develop self-confidence. Learning about photography will help the students to think critically about the world around them and open their eyes to possible employment opportunities, which may previously have seemed unrealistic.

Program Objectives:
1. Offer training to the young people in photography.
2. Hold an exhibition in Trujillo where the public will be able to view the young people's work.
3. Foster group cohesion between the young people so they are able to work together.
4. Produce merchandise for the charity that can be sold and used as publicity.
5. Improve confidence, self-esteem and educational opportunities for those involved in the project.

This workshop has been funded by a grant from the EVS programme, Youth In Action, through our partnership with Everything Is Possible, an organisation in the UK who also sends and receives SKIP volunteers. We are also hoping to be able to participate in the second part of the project where the young person who wins the competition will gain a place to attend a conference in Uruguay involving the NGOs from Latin America and Europe who are also partaking in the project.

At the moment, we have been unable to confirm that the young person will be able to attend as SKIP needs to fund 25% of their flight costs and someone to accompany them (the Secondary Education Coordinator). If anyone would be able to help us with these costs, please get in touch, we anticipate that they would be in the region of $300. All other costs of accommodation, food and travel in Uruguay will be covered by the EVS grant.

After the conclusion of the photography workshop, we will continue to encourage photography as a creative medium through various SKIP projects. The photography students can continue to participate through an existing newspaper workshop and take photos for the paper. For the 2011 edition of the SKIP calendar, we will display a selection of the high quality photographs from the workshop. This calendar will go on sale in July to generate income for SKIP.

Friday 21 May 2010

SPAIN - AFEMJO CLM (Newsletter Photo Workshop)

For the selection process of the Young people we started in February. The workshop began on March, with a group of 14 Young people, we have the collaboration of the professional photographer Alfonso Sanchez, who explains to the participants all the practical things about cameras, how to use them, the different techniques, shutter, flash, colour balances...

The participants were used to operate with mobile cameras, digital cameras but they were not used to work with reflex cameras, therefore it was quite interesting and the young people learned new techniques unknown to them.
The youth group began practicing with the techniques learned during the lessons, thereafter they pick up the news cameras and went around the city to took photos.

One of the little problems we faced was that at the beginning they found quite difficult to make pictures representing the theme of the intercultural dialogue. But then they could realize good picture related to the subject. Catch the intercultural dialogue with the camera has been difficult but at the same time it was a challenge for them, it was a good opportunity to reflect on nowadays integration issues.
They did many photos and then they learned how to tweak or edit the pictures using the online program Picknick (www.picnik.com).

The photo workshop was a great experience and learning opportunity for the local participants of our organization. They were highly motivated at all times and although the group of participants is culturally heterogeneous, with the photo workshop the had the opportunity to know more cultures, acquiring the ability to respect and mutual understanding.
Now we are choosing the final photos and the best moment for our young participants will be the final exhibition when they will be able to see their best photos they did in these months.

Thursday 20 May 2010

URUGUAY - AUDELE (newsletter - CUIC, April 2010)

The Uruguayan photographer, Laura Abad, together with Karen Mitelman and Federica Sanna from Italy are carrying on the photography workshop Exchanging Dreams – Intercultural Dialogue supported by the European Commission and Everything´s Possible. 12 young people are participating actively in the activity at Guildford!

URUGUAY - AUDELE (newsletter - CUIC, January, February, March 2010)

Trough our partner organization in UK, Everything´s Possible, we had the chance to participate in the Black Butterfly seminar where the goals were contact making and also sharing best practice in Youth in Action activities, it also offered opportunities for participants to increase understanding of each other’s countries, cultures and organizations in order to create a platform for future co-operation. The seminar introduced Latin American organizations to competent programme users from Europe in order to offer mentoring support throughout the co-operation process. In particular it offered opportunities to engage in activities around the subjects of intercultural and interethnic dialogue.

After the Seminar we started to work on the “Exchanging Dreams” photography workshop and youth exchange. We create a photography contest among the youth of our community to select 12 youth to participate in the course and in the youth exchange. The course will start the 12th April and will be dictated by the Uruguayan photographer Laura Abad.

Success of the Visibility Day : more than 100 young peoples

The Tuesday 2nd February 2010, Everything is Possible organized a Information Day, with its partners from Latin America and Europe. This day took place during the Black Butterfly Seminar, in the Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds, who is one of the partners involved in the Black Butterfly Project.

The aims of this day were to inform young people (especially young people with fewer opportunities) and professionnel about the European Voluntary PRoject, about EVS projects in Latin America and in Europe, and about the ''Youth in Action'' and ''Lifelong Learning'' programs. It was also the occasion present the Black Butterfly Project.