What a journey

From the first meeting I had with Kev and CJ, I knew that Fusion would be a wonderful experience for the young people who involved themselves. 'Inspired Youth' have lived up to their name.

Kev and CJ have worked incredibly hard to make Fusion work - their planning has been thorough and detailed and I'm sure you'll agree that the sessions they've both run themselves and coordinated with other artists have been breath-taking. Don't doubt that you've worked with the best people in their fields, whether it's break-dancing, graffiti art, drama, digital photography or film-making. The opportunities you've had have been second to none (and I would have loved to have done it all myself... honest!)

I don't doubt that you've felt as though your ideas have been valued throughout the work and that this had made a difference. The blog has been a great way for me to see how things have been progressing - but this can only happen when someone actually sits down after a long day and takes the time to upload images and words of encouragement; it doesn't happen by itself.

But the final word of praise has to come down to you, the participants. You have risen to the challenge. Great ideas can only come to fruition if people invest their time and energy and you have. The campaign you opted for is an important one and I have no doubt that the bluetooth film and poster campaign will make people think about the possible consequences of their actions and the responsibility they have to make positive choices for themselves and others. Remember - if just one person buys into your message you've succeeded - you've made a positive impact. Not everyone can say they've done this in their lives.

I can't wait to see the end products but even without these the journey has been fantastic. Thank you for sharing it with me.

Colin Jackson
Drama Consultant
City of York Arts Education