
Authoring Our Own Stories

Authoring Our Own Stories has been funded for 5 years by the National Lottery Community Fund. The programme is being led by Partnership for Young London in partnership with Youth Focus North West, Youth Focus South West and Yorkshire and Humber Regional Youth Work Unit.
Please download the full briefing here for more information.
Setting the Context – Our Pilot Project on Regional Identities
-
Authoring Our Own Stories builds on a pilot delivered in 2019 – 2020 where over 400 young people and 60 youth workers took part in research about how young people’s identities impacts on both access to services and service design and delivery.
-
This project worked alongside of Dr Tom Loughran from the University of Huddersfield to explore how young people from different social groups and different regions of the UK defined their identities and how we collectively as services reflect and adapt to meet their needs.
-
Young people conducted research in each region and, using multi-media approaches, explored the ways in which they expressed who they are and how they want to be represented. More information about the work that was completed can be viewed here.
Programme of Work

Introduction
Authoring Our Own Stories is being developed in response to assertions from young people, gathered through our pilot, to work with them as co-producers and provide safe spaces for them to express their multiple identities. This is so that their experiences are more accurately understood by service providers.
Ambitions

Develop services post COVID-19
Authoring Our Own Stories is being developed in response to assertions from young people, gathered through our pilot, to work with them as co-producers and provide safe spaces for them to express their multiple identities. This is so that their experiences are more accurately understood by service providers.
Programme Update
Authoring Our Own Stories: Year Four
This year we will be developing our work on mental health. A group of young women of African, African-Caribbean and Dual Heritage will be exploring the concept of resilience. They will create a research project for their peers to identify how being strong is a source of empowerment for young Black and Brown women and where it can negatively impact mental health. We will also deliver a webinar session to share resources that peer researchers have been developing. These are tools, created to support professionals in their practice.
For more information, please email sandra.vacciana@cityoflondon.gov.uk
‘Kelly’s Story’: A New Resource by Young People of Black and Asian Heritage for Professionals
Kelly's Story full video.

Young Leaders from Authoring Our Own Stories are inviting professionals to pilot the second in a series of resources they have created to explore mental health. Kelly’s Story follows the steps a young woman takes to support her emotional wellbeing. It creatively captures some of the key findings from young people of Black and Asian heritage who engaged in this research in 2024.
Can you trial it with young people in your organisations and tell Young Leaders what you think? One of the aims of Authoring Our Own Stories is to provide more tools and training for professionals to upskill the workforce and enable better access to services for young people from marginalised communities.
Resources:
Kelly's Story Comic Storyboard Full Colour
Young Leader Sian is introducing the 'Kelly's story resource'.
Resources
More Information




For more information about the programme please contact your regional leads or the project lead:
Partnership for Young London
National Lead for Authoring Our Own Stories: A Youth Recovery Initiative Exploring Young People’s Regional Identities – Sandra Vacciana
https://www.partnershipforyounglondon.org.uk/
sandra.vacciana@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Youth Focus North West.
Sarah Lanchin https://www.youthfocusnw.org.uk/
Youth Focus South West.
Juliette Morgan https://youthfocussouthwest.org/
Yorkshire and Humber Regional Youth Work Unit.
Charlee Bewsher http://www.youthworkunit.com/
Contact Us

Sandra Vacciana
National Lead for Authoring Our Own Stories: A Youth Recovery Initiative Exploring Young People’s Regional Identities