New Londoners
Read Liz Orton's recent article about New Londoners
PhotoVoice has recently embarked upon a new phase of its work with young refugees; a mentoring project called New Londoners. The New Londoners project has brought together 15 of London’s recent arrivals with 15 photographer mentors. Using a variety of styles and perspectives, from documentary to autobiography, the participants are working to share their experiences and stories about settling in and growing up in London in a personalized photo essay.
The participants, aged between 15 and 21, from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, all share one common experience: they are young refugees separated from their families, who have been given sanctuary in London and are re-building their lives here. Through the participants’ photographs and stories we will learn something of their lives, not just as refugees, but as young people sharing similar hopes and fears to teenagers all over London.
Each story has its own visual style and character, and the young participants have creative control over their chosen stories. They are each being mentored by a professional photographer to ensure they are given full support to achieve a high standard of work, new skills, improved self-confidence and an accredited arts award.
A selection of New Londoners stories will be published in a high quality photography book to be published in summer 2008.