Mongolia Expedition 2010

A team of 2 adults and 2 children are undertaking an overland expedition from the UK to Mongolia. This expedition is led by experienced traveller and filmmaker Andy Hickson. This small group of adults and children will be volunteering in schools and community centres along the way, running creative sessions with students and teachers. The focus for this expedition is young people, how young people interact, learn, and communicate with others from different cultures. What can our group learn from the people we meet and work with and what can they learn from us.

The children will have a degree of control in recording the trip. The children will use the cameras, interview each other and others along the way, film the sights and sounds of the trip and make special attention to the cuisine from each country. The children will be able to get access to people, other children and parts of the trip that many adults would not be able to. In each country we will visit a children’s projects, schools and other community groups, where our young film crew will interview staff and children about each particular project. This project is not an experiment in giving all the power to young people, it is about sharing power and co-constructing the organisation and direction of the expedition

Our group of young people, with the assistance of adults will be providing a creative workshop programme to schools, youth and community groups in many of the countries visited. These workshop sessions, designed by young people, will be run by our young group and will be fun, dynamic, educational, sharing, and energised. They will explore children's rights, strategies for empowerment, self-esteem and building confidence, including exploring bullying, violence, friendships and relationships. These are positive sessions looking for positive outcomes, building skills, and are a celebration of young people and what young people can offer society and what young people can do for themselves.

We will be keeping a regular blog of this expedition, with all members of the team, young and old, making contributions. The children's schools have also got involved in this project. We will be helping to link the children's schools with schools in Russia and Mongolia, and initiating a dialogue between them. The children's schools will also base some of their curricular work around this expedition - using it as a resource for many of their students. Upon return to the UK we will be producing a documentary from much of the footage filmed. The documentary will be a warts and all film, showing and sharing the views of all concerened, the highs, the lows and the adventure.

In summary this expedition is from the perspective of young people, who in addition to delivering creative sessions to other young people will film, interview and document the trip from their perspective. The young people will find out what life is like from the view points of the young people in each country, as well as tasting the local cuisine and discovering what amenities and programmes are available for children and young people in many of the countries visited. They will also give their thoughts on a whole range of subjects including the delights and pains of the adventure, all of which will be made in to a film.

This expedition aims to demonstrate positive youth participation and citizenship, help build a range of youth support skills across continents, share ways of dealing with bullying and violence, raise self esteem and confidence.

Anti Bullying Conference 2010

Drive For Peace is collaborating with Actionwork , ipoweri and the Anti Violence campus in Second Life, to help produce an international anti-bullying conference during anti-bullying week 2010. We are currently (March and April 2010) holding open discussion forums where representatives from many organisations, including teacher, parent and youth groups, can suggest best practice and other ideas for the event. Please contact us if you would like to get involved.

Anti-Bullying Resource Centre at the Glastonbury Festival

Drive For Peace will assist Actionwork and Headbangers theatre company in providing a range of anti-bullying resources, shows and workshops at the 2010 festival. This is the 40th anniversary of the Glastonbury Festival.

The Anti-Bullying Bus

Would you like the anti-bullying bus to visit your school? Drive For Peace in partnership with Actionwork and other groups will be touring their anti-bullying bus to schools and colleges throughout the UK during November 2010. We will provide a range of free resources and also participating in the amazing anti-bullying roadshow. This has been described as the ultimate theatre-in-education experience. Please contact us for more information.