UK 'Building Bridges' Programme hosts a Meet the Trainers evening, 18th November 2016

On the 18^th November 2016, Forward Thinking convened a ‘Meet the Trainers’ event as a precursor to forthcoming political literacy and media training. The aim of the meeting was for diverse participants to meet trainers, Grant Fisher, Director of Model Westminster and Emily Buchanan, former World Affairs and Religious Affairs BBC correspondent. It offered participants the chance to make suggestions and form the direction of the training, recognising that the most useful training is that which is formulated in conjunction with participants, rather than being prescribed. 

Young people from diverse backgrounds commented on how they hoped training will enable them to influence the political system with impact, how they can get their voices heard and how, if at all, they can shape the media narrative to champion the work that individuals and organisations conduct, beyond their immediate communities. Pre-training feedback will better enable the Programme to give young people the necessary tools and skill set to begin to influence the political and media landscape positively. 

This training forms part of Forward Thinking's ‘UK Building Bridges Programme’. Due to launch in London on the 26^th and 27^th November, the training will take place in community and grassroots organisations across the UK in the coming months. It will also dovetail with regional and parliamentary roundtables, in which participants will participate with local and national decision makers, and use the skills they have learnt to positively impact the political and media landscape.