One hundred students from 10 secondary and primary schools across Shropshire will unite next week for a special event designed to encourage them to engage with their communities.
The ONEVoice – Belonging in the World – 2024-’25 programme launch event is being held at Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury on Thursday, September 19.
It’s the second time the programme has been held by the Marches Academy Trust (MAT), Shrewsbury and this year it is being supported by Interactive Opportunities, Shrewsbury, Coforge, Telford, Harley Nursery, Shrewsbury, Agrii, Cheltenham and New Era Printing, Shrewsbury.
ONEVoice aims to engage and inspire young people across the 10 MAT schools to connect with, get involved and find opportunities to support their communities.
Students will be helped to think creatively, build their teamwork, enhance their communication skills, build resilience and raise self-esteem in communities.
They will have a choice of two project themes - community involvement or cultural identity – both of which emphasise that despite diversity and differences, there is a place for everyone in the global community.
Guest speakers are Heather Noble from Salt Solutions, Oswestry who will speak about cultural identity while Ruth Martin from Martin & Jones Marketing, Oswestry, a Shropshire Community Foundation Trustee, will focus on community engagement.
The event, which will be led by Niki McGarvey, MAT’s personal development and student voice lead, will be followed by four online meetings with specialist support before a showcase of all the students’ work on July 10 next year.
Andrew Goff, managing director of Interactive Opportunities, will deliver a creative thinking workshop using IO’s 6Ps for Purpose framework.
At the end of the launch event, each student will be given a pot and flower bulb to grow at home, which they can then give as a present to a member of their community.
Niki said: “It is an absolute honour to be the lead for ONEVoice. This is my second year leading MATVoice and I am thrilled to continue this journey. ONEVoice is one of three systematic tools we use within the Marches Academy Trust to hear and capture student voices and experiences within their schools.
“I truly believe that to nurture good citizens for the future, it is essential to empower pupils to develop their own voices and broaden their perspectives within their community.
“By encouraging students to express themselves and understand diverse viewpoints, we are helping them become more empathetic, informed and active members of society.
“This initiative is not just about listening; it’s about fostering a culture of mutual respect and understanding that will benefit our communities for years to come.
Mr Goff said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to support Niki and the team at The Marches Academy Trust to bring the OneVoice programme to fruition for a second year.
“Their energy to do the best that they can to support the younger generations in their schools is infectious and we look forward to supporting the students on the launch day and for the following year.”
Simon Pearson, Vice President, Transformation Services at Coforge said: “Coforge is delighted to be joining the ONEVoice event this year. This opportunity perfectly aligns with our mission to actively listen to communities, understand their perspectives and collaboratively develop sustainable solutions that enable everyone to thrive.”
