Who We Are
Hackney is full of creative opportunities and we want to make sure you can get your hands on them.
As Discover Young Hackney Ambassadors we’re here to point you in the right direction. As Media Ambassadors we’ve formed our own creative agency, working with YH World to set the direction for publicity materials. As Cultural Ambassadors, with help from Hoxton Hall, we’ve been checking out the venues and getting involved in the festival event management.
Sienna Murdoch
Age 18
- Why did you get involved with Discover Young Hackney Media Ambassadors?
- I’ve just finished an Art foundation course and have started running my own project called “pamphlet” which involves putting pieces of art in places you wouldn’t expect to promote charities and social enterprises.
- What will you be doing as a result?
- I am going to be doing a special installation work of art in conjunction with Discover Young Hackney for the festival. We’re hoping to do some mosaic style art at Hackney Central Station.
- Why get involved with Discover Young Hackney?
- Through being a media ambassador I’ve had the chance to meet industry professionals and have gained practical experience e.g. printing and logistics that has helped me with my own project.
Shannique Smith
Age 18
- How did you hear about Discover Young Hackney?
- My community worker put me in touch with them.
- What are you going to be doing as a Media Ambassador?
- At the moment we’re brainstorming ideas for the brochure.
- What has the experience done for you?
- It’s been really good as I am contributing my ideas and being listened to. Discover Young Hackney is a festival where young people get involved in all the planning and promotion and so I have learned a lot of skills.
Michael Barnes
Age 16
- How did you find out about Discover Young Hackney Media Ambassadors?
- I am studying media at school and my teacher told me about it.
- What are you doing as a result?
- We’re really involved in contributing ideas to how the festival is going to be run and how to promote it. I’m hoping to do a short film to publicise it.
- What would you like to do in the future?
- I would like to get into film/screenwriting or acting, or maybe do copywriting.
Lydia Noura
Age 15
- What are you doing as a Media Ambassador for Discover Young Hackney?
- I do photography, so I’m contributing photographic ideas for the brochure and other promotional material.
- How has the experience helped you?
- It’s helped me gain confidence speaking in front of people and contributing my ideas.
- Why should young people get involved with Discover Young Hackney?
- I’ve got lots of practical experience of doing something I love.
Pauline Shabani
Age 18
- Why did you get involved in Discover Young Hackney?
- I am doing work experience in the media industry and thought this would also be a way to get experience of organising a festival at a grass roots level.
- What are you doing as a result?
- As part of the festival we’re going to be putting on a show of young talented people from Hackney so we’ve been working on concepts for that.
- What has the experience done for you?
- It’s given me confidence and really taught me to be able to think on my feet.
Daniel Gordon
Age 19
- How did you hear about Discover Young Hackney Media Ambassadors?
- I was doing some film work for a youth website called YHWorld and I found out through them.
- What have you been doing as a result?
- We got to pitch our ideas to top advertising agency Legus Delaney who work with top brands which was a really good experience.
- What would you like to do in the future?
- I would really like to get into film, especially directing.
Wonu Allison
Age 20
- How did you find out about Discover Young Hackney Media Ambassadors?
- I found out via a Blackberry broadcast message and thought it looked interesting so I applied.
- What has been good about the experience so far?
- I’m studying graphic design at the moment and we’ve got to meet professional graphic design companies as a result.
- Why should young people get involved in Discover Young Hackney?
- I’ve met some really cool people and some good contacts which will help me with my career.
Frankie Johnson
Age 19
- How did you find out about Discover Young Hackney Media Ambassadors?
- I am currently studying History at Queen Mary College. I was searching for internships and jobs online and found Discover Young Hackney.
- What are you doing as a result?
- I’ve mostly been involved in updating the website and I’ve been involved in advertising. I’m hopefully going to be learning about strategy marketing as well.
- How has the experience helped you?
- I’m definitely more technologically aware now than I was before. I feel more comfortable with the whole idea of marketing a product.
- Why should young people get involved?
- The whole process gave me a much better understanding of this industry and its useful to get the experience to see if its something you could see yourself doing in the future.
Ka-miller Reid
Age 17
- What are the things you are passionate about?
- I love cooking, drawing, making miniature films, writing my own stories, poems and music, mainly playing the bass guitar, when I can.
- How did you hear about Discover Young Hackney Cultural Ambassadors?
- I went to Hoxton Hall youth arts for a long time and was involved in the band and did summer projects. I then got involved in Discover Young Hackney from there.
- What have you been doing as a result?
- As a Cultural Ambassador we have looked at venues where each course will be held e.g. is it suitable for people with disability? We’ve also been looking at posters and leaflets and how to make them appeal to young people.
- What’s been the best thing about the experience so far?
- The best thing so far is really having the chance to get to know people who are more involved with hackney.
Naneka Ladipo – C12 Dance Company
- What sort of dance do you do?
- I do all types of dancing including ballet and street dance.
- What’s the best thing about dancing?
- You get to be creative and expressive and it gives me confidence because I’m good at it.
- Are you looking forward to what C-12 are going to be doing as part of Discover Young Hackney?
- Yes, it should be really good and I’m really looking forward to performing.
Shannon Punter
- What are you passionate about?
- Music production, media production and song writing.
- How did you hear about Discover Young Hackney Cultural Ambassadors?
- Through Hoxton Hall which is a youth arts centre.
- What have you been doing as a result?
- We’ve been having meetings and organising the February takeover.
- What are your plans for the future?
- I want to make the February takeover a complete success.
- What’s been best about the experience so far?
- Meeting new friends and seeing and reviewing the poetry Movie “We are Poets”.
Savannah John-Leighton
Age 17
- What are you doing at the moment?
- Right now I am at Leyton Sixth Form College and I am studying BTEC Extended Diploma in Music.
- What are you passionate about?
- I really like performing on stage and taking photos.
- How did you hear about Discover Young Hackney Cultural Ambassadors?
- I found out through the people at Hoxton Hall and I thought “why not?” I’m always open to trying new things.
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