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Set up

2020

Team

Sally Taylor Alice O’Rourke
Jo Capper

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Bearwood Young Person’s Design Company (BYPDC) was developed by Bearwood Community Hub with support from Grand Union staff as a response to the Community Initiatives Fund established by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner with the intention of “providing pandemic-recovery related support and provide activity which has a focus on mental health, re-establishing confidence in emerging from lockdown or diversionary activities that are on-line or socially distanced.” Set against the backdrop of the global pandemic, the project invited a group of young people aged 16 to 18 who are local to Bearwood to develop their own business. The vision was to create an environment where the young people were able to collaborate to develop a product of their choosing, from initial concept and branding to production and distribution. 

ABOUT US AND THE PROJECT

We are a young person’s design company based in Bearwood, made up of 5 young women: Amelia, Jenni, Leya, Sarah and Teagan. 

We worked across a series of workshops led by artists, makers and designers who are based in Bearwood and the city: Amerah Saleh, Sarah Taylor Silverwood, Keith Dodds, Janet Gray, Nina Baille. 

Working across graphics, textiles, design, photography and team building, we collaborated on a product which was not only representative of our own interests and values but also explores how the design company can serve a social need.

During a making workshop, we tested sewing different product designs. We then decided that we wanted to handmake a multi-purpose storage pouch, with one of the uses being to discretely store sanitary wear. Alongside the multi-purpose storage pouch, we also designed and created handmade hand warmers, using the leftover material from the pouches and rice. Alongside these, we wanted to offer something that felt appropriate for Christmas, so we also produced gift wrapping paper – just in time to wrap all those gifts!

All proceeds of the products will be donated to two charities: Birmingham’s Centre for Women ANAWIM, which supports women and their children throughout Birmingham to move their lives forward and reach their full potential, and international charity Days for Girls,  a global movement that prepares and distributes sustainable menstrual health solutions to girls who would otherwise miss school during their monthly periods.

1.

Comments from Alice O’Rourke BYPDC Project Lead and Associate Curator at Grand Union:

"With the Bearwood Young Person’s Design Company, we wanted to provide young people with the opportunity to learn something useful and worthwhile during a time where it felt like these opportunities were far and few. The pandemic massively impacted upon young people – what with exams and results day, which has had a knock-on effect on job opportunities and university prospects. Not only did we want the young people to learn how to set up a business from a creative perspective, but we also wanted to give them something to focus on during this unstable time.”

2.

Comments from Janet Gray, Founder of Feed my Creative:

“They did a fabulous job in completing more than we initially expected. The levels of teamwork were outstanding... They worked really hard and their final product was beautiful.”

3.

Comments from BYPDC members:

“In what has been a very challenging, restrictive and uncertain time, this course has provided a safe and comfortable environment for us to learn, grow and create. [...] Together we bounced ideas off each other and made a very large list of possible products to work on. [...] we realised we wanted to create an ethical product, that was both trendy and unique.”

“This project felt like something that would brighten up my year, as this year hasn’t been the best, what with the coronavirus and exams being cancelled.”