Key Stage 3 (13-14 Years)

From designing artwork for Loughborough Library, to making films and helping choose what goes into library resources; Key Stage 3 aged young people have already been getting stuck in, having their say and leaving their mark.

Here’s a look at some of the things we’ve been making together…

THEY HELPED DESIGN A LIBRARY ART MURAL

️Loughborough Library Eye-Spy Wall ️

We asked what should go on a giant artwork in your local library? More than 1,000 primary-aged children from four Loughborough schools helped shape the ideas for the Eye-Spy wall at Loughborough Library.

They told us what they liked about Eye-Spy books, suggested themes, chose things they wanted the artist to hide and voted on objects from Charnwood Museum that could be included. They came up with 44 different themes; with nature, stories coming out of a books, animals and magic being the most popular.

They didn’t just tell the artist what to paint, they created their own Eye-Spy artwork which was used in an exhibition celebrating the finished project. Then artist Jessi Illustrates took those ideas and brought them to life on the library wall.

The Eye Spy Mural was made possible because of the imagination and creativity of young people across Loughborough.

THEY PUT THEIR MARK ON SHEPSHED

We Are Shepshed

At Shepshed Library, local teenagers got stuck into a street art project with Graffwerk and Passion Youth Group. They experimented with Posca pens, created their own tags and explored the difference between street art and graffiti. Then came the important bit: they helped decide what the finished artwork should look like.

Young people gave their opinions on colours, patterns and styles, and created drawings featuring things that mattered to them, including Shepshed landmarks, favourite books and artists. Those ideas became part of the finished “We Are Shepshed” artwork in the library’s teen area.

And because one wall wasn’t enough… The wider community also got involved in a street art day, designing artwork and trying out spray painting for themselves.

We are Shepshed showcased what is possible when communities come together through creating.

THEY HELPED MAKE LIBRARIES LESS SCARY

Library Accessibility Films

What if you’ve never been to a library before, and you’re not quite sure what to expect? Young people helped us think about that.

As part of the accessibility film project, pupils from mainstream and special education need (SEN) schools, alongside other groups, shared their experiences and helped shape the films. Their feedback influenced things like what the films showed, the language used and the size of subtitles.

The project started with a film for Wigston Library and grew into a collection of guided-tour films for libraries across Leicestershire. Pupils from Maplewell Hall School and Post 16 also became involved as the project developed, helping co-create films for more library sites.

The films are now helping people know what to expect before they visit, and feedback from NHS and other organisations suggests they’re helping reduce anxiety for people visiting libraries for the first time.

Young people across Leicestershire have made our libraries safer for everyone!

THEY HELPED CHOOSE WHAT OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE GET TO READ

Reading Well with Ivanhoe School

A group of Year 8 and 9 pupils from Ivanhoe School explored books from the Reading Well for Teens collection. But this wasn’t just about reading. They took part in mindfulness and journaling sessions, met an author and explored different ways of looking after their wellbeing.

And then they got to make a decision that would affect other people too. They helped co-curate Story Explorer bags for Leicestershire Libraries.

That means they helped choose the resources that would go into something designed for other people to use. The group were also encouraged to become ambassadors for the Reading Well collection and share it with other young people.

And the impact wasn’t just about the library. 100% of participants said the sessions made them happier, improved their wellbeing and helped them feel connected to others.

One participant summed it up rather brilliantly: “These sessions have made me feel inspired and helped me help other people.”