Ubele has been leading on the Wolves Lane Community Consultation process, we understand that community involvement in the redevelopment of the site is key.
Earlier this month we hosted two Community Co-design Workshops with local children (Under 11) and Young People (Over 11). The workshops were delivered by Ubele Associates, experienced Children & Youth workers, Sandra Salazar D'eca & Paulette Henry, also members of Black Rootz.
The children are keen for the centre to a be a comfortable, warm, colourful and accessible community space. They envision a space where they can have fun, play and enjoy meals with their family and friends. They would like for there to be:
an adventure playground with swings, slides, climbing frames, ziplines, trampolines, water fountains, tree climbing, etc.
sheltered areas outside, spaces for more organised physical activity/sport such a football pitch, dance studio, skate ramps, basketball court, swimming pool, etc.
Moreover, they also envisage quiet/introverted areas such as meditation room, yoga room, sensory room, etc and a space to create and listen to music.
The young people feel it is of utmost importance that the centre is a safe, warm, comfortable and adaptable space that is responsive to their thoughts and opinions. Their hope for the centre to be an inclusive space which hosts various interest groups of all ages and have asked for the centre to deliver fun activities that are not otherwise accessible to them.
They have also asked for intergenerational activities so their parents can also be involved with the activities and utilise the site. Much like the under 11’s they would like to have a space to:
create and listen to music, a space for physical activity such as a football pitch, basketball hoop, dance studio, etc.
for watching movies and gaming and introvert spaces such as spiritual room and blanket forts.
They would like for there to be a connection to the outside, in the form of large doors that are open in the summer and covered and open space outside to enable engagement with the gardening and food growing.
Young people would like to be able to change and impact the space and directly see that impact, through artwork, displayed prominently in the space or painted directly onto the building as a mural.
Additionally, they would like to see:
- 3D art works and sculptures on display on plinths or display cases, which should change periodically so new people’s artwork can be displayed.
- a maker’s spaces, have opportunities to learn new skills and help run the space using them and to have opportunities to learn life skills such as money management, cooking and tech.
They have asked for long lasting durable lockers where they can store their valuables whilst they are on site and for the centre to become a hub for learning, education and skills.
As you can see above both the Co-Design workshops were very fruitful and have been hugely important in helping to inform the design plans for the centre. We hope that this is the very beginning of the involvement of children & young people in co-designing the space and services at Wolves Lane!
Aisha Khan, Programme Development Officer, The Ubele Initiative
