The huge impact of the 2012 Olympic Games will be a time of victorious moments in the great city of London, and post Olympics should prove to be equally as triumphant.
The Legacy Now Youth Panel © Olympic Legacy Now Youth Panel event 17July 2009 at Hackney Ocean
Legacy Now acknowledges the after effects the Games will have on the people of London, and aims to identify the work that is needed to carry out a successful transformation. The London Development Agency has commissioned Fundamental Architectural Inclusion to support the engagement of young people in the Olympic Legacy Plan for the Olympic Park. Fundamental has developed the Legacy Now Youth Panel (LNYP) as inspirational spokespeople for their generation.
The Legacy Now Youth Panel
By 2012 substantial impact of the Olympic Legacy will influence mostly the present younger generation. Twenty-five young people aged 14 to 19 were recruited from the five Olympic host boroughs to form LNYP.
The panel will not only benefit their peers through sharing their views on the Olympics but it will also provide an informative insight for professionals such as planners and designers whilst in preparation for the Games.
The LNYP took part in motivated activities and experiences from exploring the Olympic site to reviewing the masterplanning designs for the Games. The panel also visited places they found to be successful examples of their vision for the Legacy.
Celebrating Legacy Now
A display of the panel’s hard work and manifesto was showcased on Friday 17th July 2009. The panel hosted the evening at The Ocean, Hackney, in front of friends, family and young people from the five host boroughs. The evening highlighted the significant role the younger generation have to play in achieving a successful legacy after the Games.
The dynamics of the venue was earthed by the beat produced for the panel’s 3D model of the Legacy Olympic site. The venue glowed with animated videos projected onto objects such as a washing machine drum and vacuum cleaner. The panel developed the 3D model with help from The Light Surgeons. The installation centralised the venue and allowed visitors to have an all-round look at the panel’s vision for the Legacy.
3D model by LNYP and The Light Surgeons © Olympic Legacy Now Youth Panel event 17July 2009 at Hackney Ocean
An active on-stage debate was showcased in front of keen young people who had waited in the rain to hear about what was happening. A video clip previewed a journey of visits undertaken by the LNYP. A visit to the current legacy of Manchester’s Commonwealth Games 2002 proved to be an informative starting conversation of what worked and what could have been done better.
LNYP Manifesto
All these activities helped the panel formulate their personal opinions into one statement about what they saw to be their future community. This statement led to the youth panel’s manifesto, which focuses on seven areas, including:
- Communities
- Socialising
- Learning
- Feeling safe and not excluded
- Accessibility, availability and affordability for all
- Transportation
- Respect
When asked after the debate what he thought about the manifesto, Symon Sentain, Head of 2012 for Waltham Forest Council said, ‘The key is accessibility and affordability – it is critical that anyone can use the public facilities where everyone is included; I think it is vital to work with more young people, we need to listen in order to provide a better Legacy overall for the Games 2012.’
Debate panelists © Olympic Legacy Now Youth Panel event 17July 2009 at Hackney Ocean
The manifesto has been taken in by the Olympic Legacy masterplanning team and will be considered during the design process. Through the manifesto the LNYP were able to address their concerns clearly and have gained support by other youth spokespeople.
‘Young people need to be part of the decision making of the Olympics – we are the future, and we will be the ones most affected by the Legacy at the end of the day.’ The first female Young Mayer for her borough Tower Hamlets, Uma Akther, expressed her proud association with the LNYP by taking part in the debate panel.
Uma commented that a bridge for young people to communicate their thoughts in today’s world is becoming stronger. The engagement through creative-inspired activities has proven successful and the need for more young people to get involved is imperative.
Young people enjoying the event © Olympic Legacy Now Youth Panel event 17July 2009 at Hackney Ocean
Encouraging involvement
Change is happening in your area, why not influence your class, your school or a student to influence the place they live? There are many organisations engaging with young people like the LNYP - whether it’s getting involved with the Olympics or the regeneration of a local park there is much to be said and heard.
Here are some useful links to get your students involved:
