South Tyneside Youth Council Campaign 2024-2026 Culture, Media and Sport

South Tyneside Young People voted Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) as STYC’s campaign theme for 2024–26. Throughout the campaign, we explored how young people access culture, media and sport locally, and what barriers stand in the way. This work took place through a series of school events, workshops, and creative opportunities.

What Young People Told Us:

Young people across South Tyneside highlighted three key barriers:

• We don’t find out what’s on offer
• More volunteering opportunities would help us get involved
• More CMS opportunities should be available through schools

How we responded:

To tackle these barriers, STYC delivered a wide range of activities and opportunities:

• Shared weekly “Service of the Week” posts to promote local opportunities.
• Delivered a CMS showcase event, bringing together organisations offering workshops and stalls, attended by over 80 young people.
• Coordinated school tours of The Word, where students created keyrings in the Fab Lab, viewed the collaborative map from Event 1, and explored the building’s facilities.
• Supported three STYC members to volunteer at The Word.
• Hosted a CMS Ambassador Training Event.
• Created a Young Volunteer Guide to help organisations confidently welcome young volunteers.
• Partnered with Red Stamp Film Productions to produce a short film promoting the benefits of youth volunteering.
• Enabled STYC members to spend two full days on a professional film set, learning about camera work, lighting, sound, and production roles.
• Presented Jarrow School with the CMS Ambassador Award at the final event.

Campaign Close and Summary

The CMS campaign officially concluded on 25 March 2026 at Jarrow Hall. This marked the end of a fantastic two year journey shaped by the voices and enthusiasm of young people across South Tyneside.

Schools played a vital role throughout, attending events, taking part in training, joining venue tours, and sharing valuable insights that directly influenced the campaign’s direction. Their continued support helped ensure the campaign made a meaningful impact.