Increasing cultural understanding through a bi-lingual magazine.
Who we are
A group of young Kosovan refugees.
Where we're based
Barrow in Furness
When we started
2002
How we started
Six young people from Kosovo moved to Barrow as refugee, and wanted to break down barriers by bringing together a community that was not very familiar with different races. Assisted by funding from the Princes Trust, they decided to increase cultural understanding by creating a bi-lingual magazine.
Our work
Between the inception of the project and winning the award in 2003, the group produced three magazines, a website, hosted workshops in schools and community groups, coordinated a fashion show and produced a video. These young people took the initiative to turn an unfortunate situation into a very positive outcome. They had fun along the way, building friendships and sharing activities such as the fashion show and sports days. The local police confirmed the success of the project by reporting a reduction in antisocial and racially biased behaviour since the project began.
Future plans
Bes and Bled from the project have continued to be involved in the Philip Lawrence Awards, taking part in activities such as the 2009 judging.
All I can say about this project is that it has changed my life, and the way I think about the future.
Project member
