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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Fiona McKellar and Linda Mooney

Highlights and updates from Guardian volunteering week 2014: Thursday

Local residents from Bemerton Villages at a community barbecue on the estate organised by Guardian staff and the management organisation as part of volunteering week.
Local residents from Bemerton Villages at a community barbecue on the estate organised by Guardian staff and the management organisation as part of volunteering week 2014. Photograph: David Kirwan/Guardian

That's all for today...

Friday is the final day of projects for volunteering week but we've still got two great projects to come.

Tomorrow a team will be working with London Wildlife Trust again, this time on a short stretch of the Regent's Canal near Camley Street. And some of the young journalists from Live Mag UK are coming into the Guardian for workshops on investigative journalism and audience engagement.

And, of course, we'll be bringing you news and pictures from the projects on the live blog.

Bemerton villages is one of our closest neighbours in King's Cross. The large housing estate is run by a tenants group, Bemerton Villages Management Organisation (BVMO).

BMVO are one of the Guardian's community partners and our long term projects over the past couple of years include IT and technical support for the Cally Resource centre and helping out at a job club for local people.

Here are some pictures of what the volunteers have been getting up to today in the Bemerton gardens and open spaces.

Bemerton villages Guardian volunteering week 2014
Gardening at Bemerton villages, Guardian volunteering week 2014. Photograph: /Guardian

I think that's Dini Alim (far right), in the picture below. Dini volunteers throughout the year at Bemerton, along with other colleagues from the IT department, to help update the computers in the Cally Resource centre.

Bemerton villages Guardian volunteering week 2014
Gardening at Bemerton villages, Guardian volunteering week 2014. Photograph: /Guardian

Here are some proud looking volunteers next to one of the many raised beds built at Bemerton today.

Volunteers at Bemerton villages for Guardian volunteering week 2014
Volunteers at Bemerton villages for Guardian volunteering week 2014. Photograph: /Guardian

Updated

Bemerton

Just seen some very sunburnt volunteers staggering back to the Guardian. I think it was a great day but everyone is very tired now and ready for something a bit stronger than a cup of tea.

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School

As always, our volunteers are getting as much out of this week as our partners are. Here's a quote from Corrin Woollcott, one of the people who organised the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (EGA) project:

I had such a good time, both at EGA and here at the Guardian. I'm so glad I took part and I definitely learnt a lot from the girls.

The sign says it all about Volunteering week
The sign says it all about Volunteering week. Photograph: Viv Taylor/Guardian

Talking and sharing ideas in the Scott Room...

Networking
Networking in the Scott Room Photograph: Viv Taylor/Guardian

...with EGA and CP Scott watching over them

EGA and CP Scott
EGA and CP Scott keep an eye on proceedings in the Scott Room Photograph: Viv Taylor/Guardian

Last word goes to Laura Freeman, one of the project managers:

In ten years time, these young women will be shaping the news, writing the news and running our country

Well it's all over now, the students have left and the Education centre team have packed up after putting on an incredible day.

Below is a list written at the start of the day by the young people about what they wanted to get out it:

  • Features writing experience and tips
  • How to promote a story
  • Networking
  • Gain a wider knowledge of the media industry
  • Develop an understanding of the tone and voice used in newspaper articles

I went down at the end to review the day with the group and I think we covered everything.

Here's a tweet from Sarah Davis, group commercial legal director and trustee at the Media Trust, about the day:

Here's a comment from one student overheard during the feedback session:

Honestly, this is, like, 10 out of 10!

We had a great turnout of journalists and editorial staff for the networking session.

One of the young people pitched an idea to our music editor.

Here are the finished articles from the feature writing session:

I know it looks like it but I'm not actually rapping.

Updated

Guardian Education Centre and Media Trust

The Media Trust/Guardian Education Centre workshop for aspiring young journalists has drawn to a close now. Earlier this afternoon, the students had their work reviewed by some of our subeditors. After that, they met Caroline Bannock, Erica Buist and Rachel Obordo, all of whom work on the award-winning Guardian Witness

The three women talked about how to contribute pictures and ideas and they asked the students for some suggestions for future assignments. They also wanted to hear their thoughts on how Guardian Witness could become even more appealing, particularly to young people.

The students then heard from Abby Young-Powell from Guardian Students, who spoke about how to contribute to the Guardian Student blog. Matt Caines, one of the founders of Wannabe Hacks, an online journalism resource written by aspiring students, spoke about the site and his own route into the industry.

After that, it was time for tea and a networking chat with journalists from across the Guardian and Observer.

A cup of tea and a chat to finish off the day
A well-deserved cup of tea and a chat after a busy day at the Education Centre.
Photograph: Fiona McKellar/Guardian

If you missed today's event and would like to visit the Skip Garden you can pop in this coming weekend, the 14 and 15 June. The garden is open from 10am until 4pm on Saturday and Sunday, as part of Open Squares Weekend.

Updated

The students also popped over to the Guardian offices, to give us a chance to sample their wares. (I can recommend the chilli jam, it was delish.)

It looks like the pizzas were their best seller

Global Generation

It's day two of our project with Global Generation and the students from Regent High are selling what they made yesterday from produce at the King's Cross Skip Garden

...and now they're cooking (with gas as it happens).

The first dish of the day at the Bemerton BBQ
The first dish of the day at the Bemerton BBQ. Photograph: Paula Tsung/The Guardian

Bemerton Villages

Alan Leggett is the fire starter...

I thought some of the students looked a little bit anxious, but there was no need to worry. The subeditors were all impressed with the standard of writing.

Leah Jewett, Suzanne Warr and Ben Smith spent time going through the articles with the young writers and gave them useful tips and feedback.

Guardian Education centre and Media Trust

It was very quiet when I dropped into the Education centre feature writing workshop about 20 minutes ago. Students were hard at work finishing off before the feedback session with our subeditors.

Updated

Bemerton Villages

With less than an hour to go before the first burger goes on the BBQ, a few Bemerton residents choose their table

Bemerton residents gather for the BBQ
Bemerton residents gather for the BBQ. Photograph: Georgina Lake/Guardian

Pentonville prison

Over at Pentonville prison the feature writing session at the newsletter class has just started. Sarah Phillips assistant editor at Comment is free is running a workshop on writing opinion pieces. She won't be back until later so I'll have to update you tomorrow on how she got on.

You can find out more about GNM's long term volunteering project with Pentonville prison on the Living our Values site and the project was covered in a Prisoners' Education Trust article.

Apparently, project manager Alan Leggett was asked if the team were doing community service:

But apart from that, Georgina reports that things are going well:

Work on the beds is progressing and the railings are painted.

The BBQ is due to start at 3pm so the countdown to the finish is on.

Bemerton Villages

Back at Bemerton, Georgina Lake has been throwing herself into the project...

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school

Here's an example of one of the letters written by the girls to Year 10 students of the future

Bemerton Villages

Over at Bemerton Villages our biggest volunteering team ever is in the middle of a very busy day.

Here's an update in tweets and pictures from Guardian volunteer Georgina Lake.

It's going to be thirsty work and it's forecast to hit 24C in King's Cross today.

But they've got the tea sorted out and looks like volunteer project manager Ian Carter might be volunteering again to make everyone a mug.

Great stuff Ian, looks like the crew are going to stay well hydrated today.

EGA students are taking part in a careers chat show at the moment.

Guardian staff are being quizzed by an audience of students on a whole range of questions including their career, how they got into their particular role and what they do at work.

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school

The day started off at 8.50am this morning, a somewhat early start for the Guardian volunteering week team. But for the EGA students, who start at 8.30am every day, it was just business as usual.

They're already nearly halfway through the day's agenda, this includes a presentation skills workshop, visit to morning conference and tour of the Guardian.

The picture below is from earlier in the day when the EGA students split into small groups and did a series of presentations to a panel of Guardian volunteers.

I think I'd find that a bit intimidating even at my age, but the EGA students seem to be taking it in their stride.

I can't quite make out who's on the panel, possibly David Pemsel, our chief commercial officer at the Guardian. David is the senior sponsor for the EGA volunteering week project.

Guardian Education centre and Media Trust

It looks like the young journalists are off to a flying start. This morning they're in the Guardian Education centre for a feature writing workshop.

Here they are busy hunting down facts for their articles.

The young writers will be printing their first drafts at around 1.30pm. Phew!

Margaret Holborn and Jan Trott are the Education centre teachers who will be keeping them on their toes – assisted by Elli Narewska.

Here's the team this morning:

I'm not sure I could write a feature in 2hrs, but they're a talent bunch and they've got three fantastic teacher.

Good luck guys! I can't wait to see the finished pieces.

Day four...

Six projects again today!

We're working with Global Generation again, this time on a market stall run by Regent High students. All the food, drinks and crafts made at yesterday's session will be on show and for sale in the King's Cross skip garden from 12-2pm.

It's also the second day of volunteering with Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school, students are at the Guardian today for more workshops on leaderships skills.

Also at Kings Place, our London HQ, young journalists are taking part in a Guardian Education centre and Media Trust project. And just around the corner the biggest ever team in the history of Guardian volunteering week is working at Bemerton Villages.

In New York it's day four with New York Cares and this afternoon back in London we've got our third session at Pentonville prison newsletter class.

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