When we take on a project we aim to engage with clients at every level, to build relationships, foster links and partnerships, and build skills and understanding. When the Manchester Beacon project asked us to develop creative learning portfolios from their programme of public engagement, we assembled our own creative team of photographers, sound recordists, designers, workshop facilitators and event presenters - making sure that we personally visited every project and interviewed all the participants. As well as project managing, we were hands on, every step of the way.
The Manchester Beacon is a partnership between the University of Manchester (UoM), Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), the University of Salford (UoS), the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) and Manchester: Knowledge Capital (M:KC).
It facilitates staff, students and community groups to create a culture that encourages public and community engagement to become a valued part of everyday university life.
Our work covered 10 very diverse projects from the Corrosion Summer Ball (making science accessible and interesting, particularly to young people), to collecting and archiving the stories of the Guernsey to Bury evacuees. We worked with the university partners and community groups, capturing their work through photography, audio recordings and film. We identified common themes throughout the work and facilitated discussion to encourage cross-project learning. We worked with community groups and university partners on existing events, and brought together the numerous strands of work - from literature to medical research and scientific innovation.
We brought in our web partners Reason Digital to develop the learning journeys of the participants into multimedia digital portfolios. These will be launched in March 2011 and will form part of the continuing learning porgramme for the universities and their partners.
Photography by Jan Chlebik
