Groundbreaking work from young people

Over the years young journalists at Cube have tackled a wide range of important issues relating to young people including racism, homophobia, online gaming addition, performance enhancing drug use in young athletes, personal disabilities, corruption in football, obesity, gun and weapon crime and mental health issues such as Bipolar and Anorexia. 

Inspiration has come from in depth career advice from professionals in everything industry including sport, music, acting and even medicine. Cultural highlights have included reviews, new trends in the arts and music, and tips and ideas for every area of lifestyle and life.  Cube journalism has taken the form of features, personal accounts, opinion columns, radio interviews, vox pops, peer discussions and presenter reports.

The CUBE XTRA work experience programme funded by Media Box

In 2007 Cube was awarded funding to pilot ‘Cube Xtra’ a new type of work experience placement to complement its existing journalistic programme.  The focus of these placements would be high-end graphic design for the magazine in print and opportunities in other media areas such as documentary film making and web design.  A professional graphic designer and film maker would be brought in to guide and train. Cube Xtra came about due to the innovative work being produced by young people through the magazine and the interest from young people to explore other media areas under Cube in more depth. www.media-box.co.uk

High profile support

Not only has Cube had a great response from the young people who make and read it, but praise and support from every sector and at every level.   To date Cube journalists have interviewed sports stars, pop stars, MPs, Lord Mayors, actors, film directors, local bands, authors, poets, comedians, producers, presenters and even journalists!  Danny Boyle, K’naan, Phil Jagielka, Jay Sean, Asher D, Toby Foster, Benjamin Zephaniah, Chris Brunt, Jacqueline Wilson, Richard McCourt, Raghav and Brendan Ingles are just some of the big names who’ve given Cube journalists their time.

Industry and educational behind the scenes support

Cube is thankful for the industry and educational support it’s received over the years to support the production of Cube. Advice, training, insight and ideas have come from journalists, photographers, musicians, film makers, graphic designers and volunteer media students. Media professionals such as Margaret Burgin from BBC Radio Sheffield and Photojournalist Richard Hanson have offered training and inspiration.  The Cafeteria graphic design studio have supported Cube design in print, given an insight into how a design studio works and worked with Cube journalists as clients.

Collaborations with Sheffield Young Writers

Cube is pleased to work with and highlight the work of Sheffield Young Writers (SYW) through collaborations with the initiative.  Already several issues of Cube have included SYW writing supplements and Cubeweb publishes SYW work and supports the group with their own web area and forum.  Key collaborations include the PhotoFiction creative writing competition (2006/07) and supporting the ‘Young people take the mic’ open mic event as part of the Sheffield ‘Off the shelf’ Literature Festival.

Cube extending opportunities for young people

Over the last few years Cube has worked to extend media opportunities to young people who are unable to work on a Cube placement directly.  Cube online allows young people a wider platform for accessing, distributing and publishing work and sharing their thoughts and ideas with other young people.  Cube is always keen to highlight media events and opportunities to young people such as through competitions and initiatives that might interest them.

Opportunities through partnerships

Over the last 4 years Cube has built up an extensive network of partners and supporters we can work with, or call on, to help enrich and further the opportunities we can offer individuals and their editorial teams.  Our partners include The Sheffield College, Sheffield Young Writers and the Showroom Cinema. Nurturing good partnerships means Cube journalists are invited to work in the real media world through interviewing key speakers at events, reviewing films, taking part in workshops, undergoing industry training, and representing Cube at a range of events throughout the city. 

Support beyond placement

Many young people who have undertaken a work experience placement at Cube continue to support and contribute via email editing, Cubeweb contribution, summer placements, volunteering and attending Cube related events.  Cube sends out work references to potential employers or colleges years after someone has undertaken a work placement and is happy to support however possible those pursuing media careers.

The PhotoFiction writing competition

For the last two years Cube Magazine has collaborated with Sheffield Young Writers to offer an interesting and accessible online writing competition to encouraged 11 to 18 year olds from across South Yorkshire and Derbyshire to get writing. Main prizes have included an ipod and digital camera. Entries for the competition more than doubled in the second year to an unexpected 400 plus entries, with winners receiving prizes and the opportunity to perform at the ‘Young people take the mic’ open mic event as part of the Sheffield Off the Shelf Literature Festival.

The Showcomotion Children and Young People’s Film Festival

For four years editorial teams have been involved in all aspects of the Showcomotion Young People’s Film Festival and its Visionmix Media Careers Conference - from interviewing high profile speakers and attending workshops to reviewing films and events. For the past three years a huge photographic wall banner has been exhibited in the Showroom Foyer during the festival to highlight the work produced by Cube journalists on placements and to publicise Cube to a wider audience.

Cube goes to France! - Representatives from Cube attended an international youth participation project

In early 2007 Cube journalists were invited to France to join youths from across Europe to share good practices for working with young people as part of the Hanse Passage project.  The trip was attended by Megan McCart from High Storrs School and Paige Brooks from Firth Park Community Arts College.  The girls did an excellent presentation on the Cube project and shared their experiences with around a hundred peers at the impressive Council Chambers in Rouen.  They then had the opportunity to contribute to a ‘toolkit’ of participation ideas that involved young people becoming more culturally and socially involved in their communities and the wider world.
www.hanse-passage.net/hansepassage/index.htm

New views Film Jury supported by Showcomotion and the NSPCC

For the past three years Cube representatives have been part of a panel of young people’s groups that help to make up the New View’s Film Jury as part of Sheffield’s annual Showcomotion Young People’s Film Festival. All films entered under New Views are made by or with young people and include everything from animation to documentary.

A celebration of Cube’s success

The Children & Young People's Directorate Celebration of Success event at the City Hall is an annual event that highlights and celebrated the success of education related work by and for Children and Young People across Sheffield.  In 2007 the Cube project was honored for its creative work with young people outside of a school context.  Cube representatives who attended Firth Park and King Ecgbert’s schools were there to receive acknowledgement on behind of the project.

South Yorkshire eLearning Project acknowledgement

As part of the South Yorkshire e-Learning Programme Celebration Event 2006, a
number of local organisations were recognised for their achievements in
raising levels of ICT in their particular area. SSCLC (Sheffield South City Learning Centre) was recognised for its work with Cube Magazine. The programme supported Cube’s success through providing ICT equipment and web support during 2006. Cube representatives who attended High Storrs School were there to receive acknowledgement for Cube and SSCLC and a £500 equipment voucher to be spent on the project.