Mouth That Roars

1. “Often it is those that we least expect to have an opinion, who actually offer the most thought provoking and challenging perspective on the world.” Mouth That Roars

2. Mouth That Roars • Marginalised young people aged 11- 19 years • UK, Europe, Middle East, India & North Africa • Participatory film and media training • Outreach and centre based • Life skills development • Active citizenship • UNCRC

3. Our Aims To use participatory film making and media literacy as a means to encourage children and young peoples’ active participation and improve their everyday lives.

4. Social Exclusion ‘... a complex and multi-dimensional process. It involves the lack or denial of resources, rights, goods and services, and the inability to participate in the normal relationships and activities, available to the majority of people in a society, whether in economic, social, cultural or political arenas. It affects both the quality of life of individuals and the equity and cohesion of society as a whole’. (Levitas et al 2007)

5. Inclusive Practice • including children’s voices, in a way which actively involves their participationand regards them on an equal footing. • support ‘voices’ that are often marginalised within communities (Veale, 2005)

6. Why Use Media? • ‘...a creative visual tool that enables the participant to communicate through a variety of mediums such as images, sound and spoken word.’ (Thomson, 2008) • Experts of their own lives • Cultural exchange – globalisation (positive /negative) • Media literacy – reflect upon own life and others • Education – exploring issues and sharing knowledge

7. Seen & Heard • can ‘empower’ children, because they can depict their own experiences; speak on their own behalf and represent themselves…..(Kindon 2002) • looking alongside’, rather than ‘looking at…. (Kindon 2002) • a medium for helping ‘ordinary people’.

8. Shift of Power • reaching and including the most powerless, especially those who lack a voice, for example some communities living in developing countries (Kindon, 2002) • not just enhance participation of marginalised communities, but to learn from them (Buckingham, 2007) • Challenge opinion that is often based NOT on first hand experience

9. Our Everyday Lives http://www.oureverydaylives.tv/blog/oel-india/

10. Media Literacy amongst Children & Young People • a tool to aid a debate that really examines the diversity, difference and the complexity of understanding between distant places. • ‘the ability to access, understand and create communications in a variety of contexts.’ (Ofcom the Independent Regulator for the UK Communications Industry) • ‘it enables children greater awareness of television language, the difference between representation and reality and the persuasive role of advertising.’ (Buckingham 2005) • Participation is key – ‘participating in making their own media provides children a context to explore their imaginations and ideas, provides a mode of self expression.’ (Asthana2008) • However, without participation we just take snaphots of children's lives and risk exploiting their involvement.

11. Methodology • Youth work practice • Experiential learning • Group work • Active participation

12. Ethics • Editorial control • Safeguarding • Distribution

13. “Often it is those that we least expect to have an opinion, who actually offer the most thought provoking and challenging perspective on the world.” Mouth That Roars