Wor War: the First World War in North Tyneside

Intergenerational workshop at Rockcliffe First School

First World War: Then and Now

29/07/2013

Riverside

North Tyneside

YMCA North Tyneside

£9600

“In making a picture, poster or poppy, the young people have had to ask questions of the older generation, explore monuments and find archives, so that they can accurately recreate."

Colin Raistrick, YMCA North Tyneside

Young people from North Tyneside found out how the First World War affected their local communities through a range of creative activities.

Local schools, youth groups and young carers worked with YMCA North Tyneside, the Tynemouth WW1 Commemoration project and Age UK to explore what life was like for young people during the First World War.

Young people took part in a programme of activities, including interviewing people from Age UK about their family history and going on a photography trip to visit five war memorials.

With the help of Y Studios, the young people edited the interviews and photographs for use in the final exhibition at Tynemouth Metro Station. The exhibition also featured photographs and visual aids from the Tyneside libraries, and handmade poppies, posters and clay models made by the participants. Photographs and information were then added to the Facebook page.

In 2014 the project was a finalist for the national Children and Young People Now Awards in the Partnership working category and an award winner at the North East Regional Youth Work (Youth Focus) Awards.

After taking part in Wor War, the young people came up with an idea for another heritage project, to explore the life of Sir James Knott - a local philanthropist during the First World War. We awarded them further funding to bring this idea to life.