Mediabox | News

Mix Mediabox opens

Mediabox, the fund that offers 13-19 year olds the chance to create their own media projects and get their voices heard, has opened its Mix Mediabox strand.

Mix Mediabox enables organisations working within the community to apply for grants of between £5,000 - £20,000 for youth-led media projects that explore the theme of community cohesion.

The strand is particularly looking for organisations that bring young people from diverse ethnic, economic backgrounds, faiths or areas together to work on a media project, providing young people with the opportunity to explore issues around identity, diversity, sense of belonging in their community and in doing so tell their own stories and experiences in a creative way.

Mix Mediabox is run in partnership by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) to help achieve the Government’s vision for cohesive and integrated communities

Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, Dawn Primarolo said, “We are extending the successful Mediabox scheme so that we can bring together young people from different backgrounds, ethnicities and religions to help them to develop an appreciation of each other and build positive relationships. We want to hear from young people about how they value diversity. By giving them the chance to work on their own media project they will have a voice in the media and be able to tell their own story about the communities they live in and the issues they face. I encourage as many local authorities, charities, trusts and organisations as possible to take advantage of the Mix Mediabox funding as this will greatly contribute to building community cohesion in areas across the country.”

Communities and Local Government Minister, Shahid Malik said, “The vast majority of people are happy with the community they live in, and believe that different groups get on well together in their area. But we know that challenges to cohesion do exist and there are those who try to undermine our shared values. Projects like this can help to tackle head-on the sense of unfairness and disaffection that is alienating some communities - bridging the gaps between young people from different ethnic and faith groups.”

The strand opens for applications on Monday 10th August 2009. The grant team at Mediabox will be on hand to offer application support and advice on how to find media professionals to facilitate projects.

Mix Mediabox is open to registered charities, trusts, local authorities and unincorporated associations.