Windrush Generations: Evolving Heritage

A group of young people sit a table interviewing another young person, with another person to the side operating a camerawith
Young people conducting an interview for the project

National Lottery Grants for Heritage – £10,000 to £250,000

Date awarded
Location
Waterfront
Local Authority
Swansea
Applicant
African Community Centre
Award Given
£43400
A group of young people working with the African Community Centre in Swansea led a project to uncover the stories of descendants of the Windrush generation living in South Wales.

Twenty-six young people, many of whom were from Black British, Black African or Black Caribbean backgrounds, formed a steering group to shape how the project was delivered. This strong unit of young people were passionate about making change and teaching others about heritage, despite challenges caused by the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Over the course of 20 training sessions the young people learned the skills they would need to complete the project. They learned research skills and how to gather oral histories, as well as gaining a qualification in media and interviewer skills. The young people researched and contacted Windrush descendants and interviewed 13 of them.

The interviewees came from all walks of life, and the interviews explored their experiences as Windrush generation descendants and celebrated Caribbean Welsh heritage. The young people were also interested in whether subsequent generations had faced the same challenges as their first generation relatives.

One of the descendants said, “Being a part of this project has highlighted the importance of documenting people’s stories and celebrating heritage of all different kinds, to make people aware that they are part of a community.”

The outputs of the project were a film, a booklet in English and Welsh, and two virtual community events sharing what was learned.

If you query is regarding our application portal, please contact our support team.