Workshop 1- Based at UCLan 

This was a short workshop and lasted 2 hours of an evening. This workshop provided the young people with an opportunity to explore and identify issues important to them and what they want to change. These activities were all participatory and included research questions that young people wanted to know as well as ethical data collection as this will be used to generate narrative in film and media responses. This first workshop allowed the young people to think about research questions and whether research is for them.

Workshop 2- Based at UCLan

Workshop 2 was a full day and refreshments were provided. This workshop involved learning participatory methods and identifying issues, gathering information was an activity delivered on this workshop through media outputs i.e. the young people got to experience a diary room and the use of avatars. The use of media allowed the young people to explore how they felt talking to a camera as opposed to just face to face with someone. The views were mixed as some of the young people explained they felt more comfortable speaking to a camera whereas others felt confined speaking to the camera. The young people also explored the media representation of young people and knife crime, and they investigated the data behind this as part of the workshop. The day was split into four sessions all of which included participatory methods for the young people to explore in a way which kept them engaged throughout the day without them losing interest in the subject. Using these creative methods and incorporating media is useful when co-researching with children and young people because it is found to increase participation from the young people as well as produce more collaborative outcomes. Another part of the workshop was for young people to experience how it might feel to have their photos taken without their permission or having cameras put near their face without consent. The aim of this exercise was to explore how issues of consent and confidentiality in the project going forward. All these workshops allowed the young people to explore different media outputs to be able to express their feelings and learn more about the project through different creative perspectives therefore enhancing engagement.