Lifeskills Kent

.HKD Move to Thanet

HKD has recently moved from London to a new studio space overlooking the sea and sands of Margate

This exciting new venture enables the company to expand its award-winning museum design business by creating a gallery and meeting space, where they hope to host community workshops and events.

"Direct participation with communities - which is at the core of what Lifeskills Kent is about - was very much behind our decision to move to Thanet, "said Kate Kneale of HKD.

"Putting ourselves right at the centre of Margate's cultural regeneration was a chance we couldn't pass up"

HKD's new address is HKD, Marine Studios, 17 Albert Terrace, Margate, Kent. CT9 1UJ: email, info@hkd.uk.com: web, hkd.uk.com.

Participate by Right Join LSK

Participate by Right, part of Kent Childrens Fund Network (The Network) have joined LSK so that we may involve Young People in our decision making.

The Network are campaigning for, promoting and developing participative models, practices and policies, it is at the very heart of all they do. Because of this they are constantly asked one question 'what do children and young people want? 'They always have the same answer, if you want to know what they want, need or aspire - ask them!

Participation by Right write ' Participation can be defined as the the active and positive involvement of children and young people in decision making processes which affect them. However, for participation to be effective it needs to go a step beyound this and allow children and young people to not only be involved but to also influence these decisions and decision making processes. Therefore, Effective Participation can be defined as <the active and positive involvement of children and young people in decision making processes which affect them, including the right and means to influence these decision and the decision making processes> <If you want to organise stuff to help us, ask us what we want, it's quite easy really> Hannah aged 10 years old '.

Nigel Bodel writes ' We have long discussed young people being involved in LSK, Participate by Right will be able to action this for us'.

Preferred site is announced

At our monthly steering group meeting in July, it was agreed we would take up the offer of the land behind Thanet Fire Station at Westwood, Thanet. We are now negotiating the terms of the lease with Kent Fire & Rescue Service.

This is a major step for the Lifeskill's Trust and we are now moving forward with renewed vigour. Urban Space Management have been engaged to produce detailed plans to put forward to Thanet District Council Planning Department.

Dr. George Forster joins our Team

LSK Project Manager appointed

Project Management is provided by jacquimitchell.com Ltd

Jacqui Mitchell is an independent project manager who delivers new galleries, museums, visitor centres and commercial brand experiences throughout the UK and Europe for both public and corporate clients.

With a strong focus on the visitor experience she specialises on interfacing between the creative vision and the construction industry in order to deliver creative interactive content projects.

Latest projects include the Darwin Centre t the Natural History Museum, London Sugar and Slavery Gallery at the Museum in Docklands, Smith Centre at the Science Museum and the Household Cavalry Museum.

New website for the new school year

LSK has appointed digital design company On101to begin working on a new website for the project. The site will communicate with the schools and will be inviting the prospective customers to make contact with LSK partners to tell them what they think are the key concerns and issues that they want us to address in the centre such as bullying, road safety, internet security, drugs, alcohol to name a few.

On101 have extensive educational experience in this area, regularly working with museums to create interactive and educational displays. Examples can be seen on their website [www.on101.co.uk].

The site will incorporate details of all the project partners and a statement as to why they are involved in the project. The website is being developed in such a way that can easily be updated to incorporate project progress, to illustrate the building process and allow schools to interact and comment on the content.

On101 are a young and innovative team and have already offered some interesting concepts. The site is due to be live in the summer ready for the new school year.

Writes Nigel Bodell, Chairman

Innovative building blocks for LSK

HKD [www.hkd.uk.com] have developed outline proposals for the layout of the facility using a modular shipping container concept. They are inviting the expertise of Container City [www.containercity.com] to build the centre using these innovative building blocks

This provides the opportunities in environmental recycling through the reuse of shipping containers, heightened speed of construction, flexibility in marketing and financing as well as a reduction to the total cost of the project with the ability to phase the build without delaying the opening.

HKD are working with Container City to develop visual representations on how the building and the content will look, in particular illustrative material to place on the website and share with customers and partners.

As well as these benefits introduced through the use of shipping containers as innovative building blocks, HKD have proposed further ideas as to how to develop the educational content in stages. The staged approach includes work related learning opportunities such as a internship scheme, inviting people to gain work experience during the very early stages of the site build.

Please email info@lifeskillskent.org.uk for further information about the internship scheme and other opportunities.

Writes Nigel Bodell, Chairman