Young people from Stoke-on-Trent have gained valuable creative industry experience by developing a new animated film designed to make the Families First programme easier to understand and relatable.
Working with local animation and visual communications studio Carse & Waterman, the young people, aged 14 to 20, helped create the film for the Families First programme - from the first ideas through to the finished product.
Families First aims to make support simpler, earlier and more effective by providing families with a single lead practitioner who can co-ordinate services and help them access the right support at the right time.
The young people learned new creative and digital skills, including scriptwriting, voice recording and animation, while developing teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills.
Throughout the project, Carse & Waterman provided professional guidance, helping participants understand how storytelling, visual communication and animation can be used to make complex or sensitive messages easier for an audience to understand and connect with, while ensuring their ideas remained at the heart of the finished product.
Young people helped shape the key messages, storyline and script, considering how information could be communicated in a way that felt clear, relatable and engaging. Carse & Waterman then worked with their ideas and contributions to develop the finished animated film.
All participants received a work experience summary recognising their contribution, which they can use to support college applications, portfolios and future employment opportunities.
Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for children's services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: "Families First is all about making it easier for families to get the right support at the right time, so it was important that we found an engaging way to explain what the programme offers.
"This project gave young people the opportunity to develop valuable creative and digital skills while working on a real-world brief and producing something that will help local families better understand the support available.
"The finished animation is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the creativity and commitment of everyone involved."
Daniel Waterman, co-founder and company director of Carse & Waterman, said: “One of the most valuable parts of this project was being able to work so closely with the very audience the campaign needed to connect with, which allowed us to develop something far more considered, well-researched and relatable.
“For the young people, it was also a rare opportunity to experience a real visual communications brief from the blank-page stage, helping shape the idea, story and messaging while taking part in the same kinds of discussions and creative debates that happen every day in our studio. Their willingness to challenge ideas, listen to one another and build on each other’s contributions was hugely impressive, and their involvement genuinely made the final piece stronger.
“They tackled sensitive subject matter with remarkable empathy and nuance, showcasing a sophisticated ability to engage with specific demographics and weave layered educational messaging into a compelling narrative.
“Beyond just storytelling, they successfully integrated clear calls to action, proving their ability to drive real-world impact.
“In our many years of hosting work experience, it is a dream to host such engaged, high-calibre individuals; they have shown the grit and confidence necessary to thrive in any professional landscape, and we have no doubt they will be an asset to any team they join.”
One participant said: “I have enjoyed being part of the animation project it has allowed me to use Blender - something I have never done before.
“I loved working with everyone on the animation, all aspects of it and am so thankful to have listened and given my own input.
“This experience allowed me to gain new knowledge on the work of animators.”
The animated film will be used as a communications tool to raise awareness of Families First and help children, young people and families across Stoke-on-Trent better understand the support available.
It can be viewed at: https://vimeo.com/1184142579/b91a0c0b37?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
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