Stories from young people who have been inspired by CCC projects...
Fiona Gammond, Gold Medal Winner at the Youth Olympics, 2010
Create, Compete, Collaborate (CCC) is delighted to introduce our newest ambassador Fiona Gammond, the 2010 Youth Olympics Gold Medallist in rowing. Eighteen year old Fiona is from Bicester in Oxfordshire and is currently studying and training at the Headington School in Oxford. Like most teenagers, she enjoys hanging out with her friends and when she has some free time she is also learning the piano. She admits that some days training is the last thing she wants to do, but her hard work and dedication has paid off with gold medals in both the 2010 World Junior Championships in the Czech-Republic as part of a 8-women team and the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore as part of the pairs team.
The CCC team recently met up with Fiona during training and spoke to her about her experience at the Youth Olympics and what she enjoys most about meeting other young people from different countries.
CCC: How long have you been rowing and why did you get started?
Fiona: I’ve been rowing for eight years. All my friends were joining rowing. At first my parents didn’t want me to join but I persuaded them that I should start rowing.
CCC: What inspires you?
Fiona: People who achieve great things and the way they deal with their ups and downs. Whenever I’m in a low point now I think “I can get over that” and move on.
CCC: Do you think you inspire other young people?
Fiona: I hope I do, but I don’t know. I just think to do the best I can and if that inspires other people than great.
CCC: How was your experience of meeting young people from other countries at the Youth Olympics?
Fiona: Meeting everyone from other countries was probably the best part of being in Singapore. After the racing was finished we had two weeks where there were cultural activities and we got to meet people we didn’t know. We became really good friends with some rowers from Australia. I really miss them.
CCC: What are the benefits of meeting people from other countries and cultures?
Fiona: You get to understand and respect other people. You respect that everyone is training for the same goal. They are all doing exactly the same things. They’re all trying to be the best they can be. It’s surprisingly how similar it all is.
CCC: What are your goals for the future?
Fiona: I would like to see how far I can get within rowing. I want to see if I can get to the Olympics. It will depend on what choices I make in life to see if I can get there.
Suneetha, Aarti Home Teacher, India
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Tell us about the project you were involved in
I was involved in "The Painting Wall" - which showed how creative practice can be helpful to bring out hidden talent from young people. First we asked the children to draw pictures of what they think of shelter and then we asked them to paint on the wall of their school building with colour paintings.
We discovered that every child has their own hidden talents that can be brought out by involving them in some creative activities.
Laura Goulden, Signdance Collective - NEW GOLD!
What have you discovered through the project?
The time to reflect specifcally on winning, its impact on individuals including Naomi (Olympian,) ourselves, and within in our culture as a whole. What drives us to need to be the best, and our need to compete. We are also discovering a balance between clowning, dance, signing and music to create an exciting, engaging and different angle of the olympics. Also, the fun of street performance!
How would you describe the benefits of the connection for you?
Opportunities to work with professionals in an exploratory process, allowing all involved to feel ownership and direction within the project.
What good memories has the project bought about for you?
The impact that street performances make for passers by is something really new for me, and is really exciting. Developing ways to build the relationship so that the audience will stay and watch the piece, has been a really interesting journey.
Why do you think it is important for young people in different countries to collaborate?
To me the Olympics is a celebration of diversity, people from different countries collaborating, and a shared activity for anyone (no matter their cultural background). So to allow opportunities for young people to make the same connections is vital to celeberating the themes of the Olympics. I think that the Olympics is not just about sport, it is about positive culutural connections.
How do you think the Olympic and Paralympic Games can help to bring young people in different countries closer together?
I think through inspiring young people to be the best they can be, through sport, art, or what ever their choice, the Olympics can motivate the best out of people and inspires the winners of the future.
Click here for more details on New Gold.
Young Inter-Change 2010 attendees
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"Today I have met different people who have inspired me. Their personality, their ideas and their actions have inspired me to a level I cannot express. It gives me more of an urge to help people not only locally, but nationally and internationally. Thank you for a wonderful day". Radhika Shourie. Head Girl of The Langley Academy.
“This was an incredible day of events, when 200 young people discussed ways that creativity can build bridges, start dialogue and break down barriers...I was blown away by the passion, intelligence and ambition of these young delegates. There were so many astute ideas and a genuine desire to get stuck in and make an impact. Unfortunately, many of the artists who had been scheduled to attend were turned away at the UK border, victims of tightening immigration rules which are locking out artists and academics. The Creative Junction and Create Compete Collaborate team did an amazing job in the face of these last-minute problems and I was very happy to be part of the solution!” Ben Holt, The African Workshop.
"Today has made me realise the bigger picture in life and that from that I think that even the littlest things in life can help people from around the world". Student.
"We learnt how important it is to work together to fight poverty by using creative practice as a global community rather than as individuals". Student.
"The day has been inspiring, thought provoking experience that has let us see beyond our sheltered lives". Student.
Gaming! An Accentuate project
"It is the most significant learning project I’ve ever been involved with.”
“It's certainly been inspirational and I think it would be no exaggeration to say that I've learned as much as I've taught!” Dr Tom Scutt, Games Designer
“We got to interact with people that we may not have been able to be influenced by in person.” Year 10 Student
“The gaming project has taught me how to delegate, make sure everyone’s involved, and has a specific importance towards the task.” Yr 10 student
“Our game is not a ‘serious’ game, having fun portrays disability in a good way.” Student
“For our research on disability we went to Stoke Mandeville and actually played wheelchair basketball, so that’s where we got the idea to do wheelchair basketball and it went on from there.” Year 10 Student
“Gaming! has been a really exciting and engaging project for staff as well as students. It has allowed us to test cutting edge technologies and developed all of our understanding of online learning. It’s been fascinating to have a real client, with a specific brief to do with disability that has given the process real meaning, far greater than just making a game. It has really challenged students and staff’s understanding and knowledge.” Greg Hodgson, Senior Leader at Chalftons Community College and Head of Art & Design
Rachel Sears, South East England
I am involved in 'Campaign!' the CCC project all about giving young deaf and disabled people a chance to get their voice heard by people in power, in parliament and industries and by the general public. I have helped shape the project by finding the groups that are going to be involved and planning how the sessions will be run. In the sessions there will be lots of opportunities for everyone to be involved in shaping the project as they will decide what the campaigns will be about. So far I have discovered how many different groups there are in the South East who work with deaf and disabled young people and the amazing work they do. I also hope to discover more about how the arts and creativity is a great way of communicating between people who have different ways of communication. I think it is so fantastic that this project involves young people from different countries coming together and collaborating on campaigns. It means that the campaigns have more weight behind them as more research has been done about the issues by asking more people to contribute. It also means that all the people involved in the project get to find out about other young people who they might never meet and learn about similarities and differences that they share with those young people. The more we know about our peers in other countries the more tolerant and understanding we will be about difference between people and communities, I believe this understanding will improve relations between cultures, races and communities leading to a more peaceful and friendly world. The Olympics and Paralympic games are amazing way to celebrate this understanding and tolerance at the same time as recognsing excellence and success. I think it is amazing to be part of a project that is inspired by a worldwide event that brings so many cultures and communities together. This project has already bought about great memories for me, when I first found out I was going to be working on 'Campaign!' I was so excited, I know there will be even more great memories for me and I am so looking forward to taking the first campaign group to Parliament to present their campaigns to MPs.