Join the Youth Advisory Group!

Youth Advisors Needed!
National Maritime Museum Youth Advisory Group Recruitment Day
Saturday 19 October, 12-14:30
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

Would you like to add a new opportunity to your CV? Do you want to make a difference to your community and the way young people access museums? Want to make new friends, help others and gain new skills? Join the National Maritime Museum's Youth Advisory Group!

Youth Advisors meeting the Learning team in their offices at National Maritime Museum

What is YAG?
The YAG is open for 14-21 year olds who want to make the Museum relevant to young people through organising events and workshops, acting as Museum consultants, going behind the scenes to explore the Museum and sharing their ideas with others. The YAG is a great opportunity for young people to get involved in their local community, learn new skills in a professional setting, build their confidence by taking part and having a voice and be creative.

Youth Advisors taking part in a creative workshop for an exhibition

Who are the Youth Advisors?
At present, our Youth Advisors are from all different backgrounds and with interests in history, politics, science, finance, sports and art. We welcome any young people that want to add something new and different to their record of achievement and CV.

 



Youth Advisors meeting Museum patron HRH Duke of Edinburgh this year

What opportunities are available?
Now is an exciting time to get involved here at the Royal Museums Greenwich (which encompasses Royal Observatory Greenwich, Cutty Sark and the Queen’s House in addition to National Maritime Museum). There is a new learning space being made in the Museum and we are the first group to be invited to learn and generarate new conversations about how to use the Museum, how links are made between Yinka Shonibare’s Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle and the Museum’s collection. We’ll be working with an artist and it will lead up to us taking over this new space for Takeover Day in November.  The YAG is making a difference to the Museum today and also the way it will be experienced in the future.

 

Youth Advisors with certificates after last year's Takeover Day

How much commitment is required?
The YAG meets informally once a month outside of school hours, with opportunities to take on more responsibilities during school holidays to gain extra experiences. We usually meet on a Saturday or Sunday, but in holidays we may meet on weekdays. You do your best to come but studies come first so not to worry if you can’t make it.

 

Youth Advisors leading a workshop in August 2013

Youth Advisors sharing their ideas

 

What is the Recruitment Day?
This is a chance to come along, meet some of the Youth Advisors and find out more about upcoming opportunities and see if YAG is for you. You don't need to have any qualifications or experience in museums, you just need to be a team worker, be willing to share your ideas and willing to take part and learn!



One of the Youth Advisors in a self portrait from our Traders Remixed exhibition, February 2012

 

Youth Advisors exploring Museum objects 

How do I join?!
To join in for Recruitment Day, just email Shauna, the Museum's Youth Participation Officer, at sao'brien@rmg.co.uk to reserve a FREE space.

 

 Join the Youth Advisory Group!

 

International Slavery Remembrance Day, Friday 23 August 2013

After so much practice and preparation, International Slavery Remembrance Day had arrived. The Youth Advisors had practiced, prepped and prepared and welcomed 40 young people to the Museum to take part in two creative workshops, teaching wax resist and block printing skills inspired by Ghanaian fabrics.

BBC2 Stargazing Live, Thursday 10 January 2013

The Youth Advisors had the opportunity to volunteer at a big National Maritime Museum event, Stargazing Live. The event ties in with the BBC2 programme, giving visitors the chance to explore what astronauts do, learn about the planets and take part in fun activities. Over 1000 visitors attended and Youth Advisors Charlotte, Thu, Davina, Shezara, Terri and Callum took part.

Youth Advisor, Terri, shares what we got up to...

10^th January was the BBC 2 stargazing,  this was a great project to be a part of. We were partnered with the Classroom Medics. We learnt what its like for a astronaut to train and to complete tests, there was a hand strength test & heart test. This is was all great fun and a great pleasure to be part off we enjoyed working with Sarah and Tom in the Classroom Medics.

However, we did get to go off and explore what was happening around the museum,  for example we did visit the Hydration Station and with this we learnt how astronauts go to the toilet while they're on the moon, did you know they use nappies?  Another bit we did visit was the face painting station, a couple of us got our faces done, (as you can see below in the pictures) Overall this was a great night to be a part off and I’m glad I took part.

We helped out Classroom Medics, learning the kinds of tests astronauts would have to do to be medically fit, including testing strength, heart rate and peripheral vision.

Classroom Medic's Sarah, showing the Youth Advisors how to use the BATAK wall to test your peripheral vision

Charlotte learning about double vision, which can affect astronauts

 

Takeover Day

We just had our Takeover Event and the Youth Advisors were amazing!



Getting ready!

The Youth Advisory Group has been working with artist Yara El-Sherbini to create a playful intervention in the Museum for Takeover Day. This is a national event ran by Kids in Museums and is our first year taking part. The Youth Advisors developed a series of questions about trust and young people that they want to ask Museum visitors in a questionnaire style.

Project Managers Callum and Terri giving a team brief

 

Youth Advisor, Nicole, shares the day...

'We firstly went over the plans for the event and listed the roles of each individual and what exactly they would be doing for Takeover Day. Then we took over the Compass Lounge and asked members of the public to answer a questionnaire with a Youth Advisory Group member for them to be in with the chance to win an Ansel Adams catalogue and two tickets'

The Youth Advisors at the end of Takeover Day

The best part of the day was meeting and greeting new people who attended the day. Interacting with new people was the best part! I enjoyed the way people would respond to the questions being asked and looking at people taking part; they seemed really happy'

Youth Advisors with their Takeover Day certificates

 

Youth Advisor, Isobel, shares what she enjoyed...

Youth Advisory Group Meeting, Sunday 18 November 2012

Youth Advisors Tianna, Frances and Mercedes share what we did in this meeting...

'We played a new game, which was relaxing and broke the ice. We brainstormed many questions for our Takeover Day survey and made a shortlist of ten. We decided roles for the Takeover Day.


The Youth Advisors sharing ideas

We worked with Yara and Shauna and also practised asking our questions with Graham, a National Maritime Museum Visitor Experience member of staff.  It was good to see Graham completing the survey, as the responses and the thought process during the survey was very interesting'


Yara and Frances asking for people's ideas to share

We worked with artist, Yara El-Sherbini, again and finalised the idea to create a questionnaire for visitors to take part in on Takeover Day. The questions were unexpected to see what their reaction would be. Questions ranged from 'Would you join the Navy?' to 'Would you trust a teenager more in a unitard than a hoodie?'

Clemmie sharing her ideas

Everyone has roles for Takeover Day, including Project Managers (Terri and Callum), Front of House, Documenters, Hosts and Interviewers. Takeover Day will take place on 24 November, 13-15:00 at National Maritime Museum

 

Takeover Day

The Youth Advisors are taking over the Museum! On Saturday 24 November 2012, the Youth Advisory Group will be working with artist Yara El-Sherbini to create playful conversations inspired by young people, museums and the sea. The event has been advertised already on the Museum website, so let your friends know. We will have our first meeting on Saturday 03 November to work with Yara.

Youth Advisors in the Compass Lounge

Arrrrrrr.... Talk Like a Pirate Day

Date for the diaries - next Thursday 19 September, will be Talk Like a Pirate Day

Flag from Pirate Yacht Club, Bridlington (1898). In National Maritime Museum's collection

So get practising! I'll inspire you with my favourite pirate joke -

Why couldn't the pirates play cards?

The captain was standing on the deck!

To find out more about the day, click here

Mr Richard Temple, As the Pirate King in 'The Pirate of Penzance' (1880), National Maritime Museum