Ambition Arena projects come to life as young people deliver their ideas across Barnsley this summer

Young people across Barnsley are bringing their ideas to life this summer, as the winning projects from this year's Ambition Arena begin to deliver a programme of activities and events across the borough.

Funded through Barnsley Council's Great Childhoods Ambition programme and delivered by Barnsley CVS, Ambition Arena gave young people the chance to pitch their ideas for the activities and events they wanted to see in their communities.

Four projects were awarded funding to turn their ideas into reality. Since then, the groups have been working hard behind the scenes to develop their plans, build new skills and prepare for a summer packed with opportunities for other young people to get involved.

You can find out more about the projects below.

Gaming and esporting events this summer

Game On Barnsley has been created by the Dearne Young Producers and supported by Fusion and Adapted Gaming CIC, who are building on their passion for gaming by creating exciting esports and gaming events for young people.

The first Game On session took place on Sunday 26 July, with the young people already receiving some fantastic feedback about the event being a great way to meet others and build confidence. The next session will take place on Sunday 2 August at the DMC, featuring gaming tournaments, esports challenges and opportunities to learn more about content creation and streaming.

Family fun day at Great Houghton

Young people from Great Houghton Village Hall Youth Group are preparing to host a Family Fun Day on Friday 22 August, bringing affordable fun to their local community with a programme of activities, games and entertainment for everyone to enjoy. The event will give families the chance to come along, spend time together and take part in a welcoming day of activities shaped by young people who wanted to create something positive for their area.

Tuning into new skills

Young people supported by Equipt are also spending the summer developing their musical talents through the creation of a new band. Working together in a series of sessions over the holidays, participants will learn new skills, explore their creativity and prepare for a potential performance on Tuesday 1 September at Barnsley Civic.

Young people take centre stage to tackle bullying

Led by Chilypep, another project will see young people create and perform an original theatre production raising awareness of bullying. Throughout the summer, they’ll take part in workshops covering script writing, acting, music, costume design, stage production and make up, before showcasing their work in a performance at The Studio Theatre at Barnsley Civic on Thursday 3 September. Young people aged 11 to 25 who’d like to get involved can sign up using the online form.

These projects reflect the ambitions and creativity of Barnsley's young people, while supporting the council’s Great Childhoods Ambition to help children and young people belong, connect, dream, explore and grow.

Councillor Gary Hall, Cabinet Spokesperson for Children’s Services, said:

"One of the best things about Ambition Arena is that it has given young people the opportunity to shape activities that matter to them. It's fantastic to see these projects becoming a reality after months of planning, hard work and creativity from all those involved.

“From gaming tournaments and theatre productions to music and community events, each project reflects the talent and passion we have across our borough."

Frances Elliot from Barnsley CVS, organisers of the Ambition Arena event, said:

“We hope lots of people will enjoy the events the young people are planning. We are especially grateful to Barnsley’s community groups, youth workers and volunteers for supporting them to bring their ideas to life”.

For more information about activities taking place through Barnsley's Great Childhoods Ambition this summer, visit barnsley.gov.uk/GreatChildhoods.