Paddlers, Westray
Culture
The aim was to help young people learn more about their island's history and culture in creative, engaging and exciting ways.
Covid-19 interrupted delivery, but it also presented an opportunity to re-look at projects and see what might work best in each island. Katy Firth, an experienced youth heritage worker in Orkney, helped reshape the original plan and then took on the coordinator role to deliver 11 bespoke projects across 8 islands. The result was 261 participants in total, across 206 sessions and 40 youth awards were achieved, all between 2022 & 2024.
The projects were delivered in partnership with North Isles schools, youth clubs, Orkney Islands Council's outdoor education team, island heritage centres, development trusts, local guides, wildlife experts, archaeologists, artists and craftspeople.
You can read Katy's full programme report here and below are some highlights:
'Welcome to Sanday' - A film tour by Sanday Community School
Secondary pupils at Sanday School created this video during 2022-23. They worked with local tour guide Ute Clackson as they researched and explored interesting sites around the island. The project was led by teacher Kate Hooper with filming on location by Mark Jenkins of Kolekto, Stromness.
Peedie Island - A short film by Papay School and community
A shadow puppet film based around work that children were doing in school, learning about the wildlife in and around Papay and the effects of climate change on their local environment. The project was led by local script writer Anna-lisa Jenaer with artist Mal Grieve and musician James Wilson.
Peedie Schools – Small schools, seas and far horizons
Click on the link here or above to find out more about North Ronaldsay and Papa Westray school pupils working together throughout 2021-22. The project invovled exchange visits where they each shared aspects of their natural, built and cultural heritage, particularly focussed around the island coastlines. In May 2022 pupils enjoyed a trip on The Swan to learn traditional sailing skills where they were also joined by local musicians Jen Austin and Eric Linklater who helped them explore connections through music.
The Cetaceans of Orkney by James Wilson & North Ronaldsay School
Young pupils at North Ronaldsay school in 2022 helped James Wilson create this fabulous animated film highlighting the species of cetaceans you might see in the waters around Orkney's North Isles.
A Minecraft tour of Eday by Eday Community School pupils
In 2024 pupils at Eday school worked with minecraft expert Adam Clarke to build some of Eday's special places. Pupils picked places they wanted to visit and learn more about. After some field trips with former island Ranger, Kate Townsend, the youngsters set to replicating them in Minecraft.
Other projects included young Westray pupils learning more about seagrass beds around the Westray coastline. Katy Waring was at the time an MSc student with Heriot Watt University in Stromness, she's now a senior conservation officer with Project Seagrass, and she worked with class teacher, Kate Skellern to deliver a programme of activities, field trips and art activities. 3 fantastic information panels are on display in the Westray Heritage Centre about seagrass and includes the young peoples art work.
Marion Miller developed and delivered a project with Stronsay School that explored all aspects of island heritage. Younger pupils planted oats, harvested them and made oatcakes while older pupils were involved in archaeology walk over surveys, visited the heritage centre and took the heritage trail walk with Ian Cooper from the heritage society. A felt wall hanging was created through the project - Helen Galland from North Ronaldsay visited Stronsay school to help pupils create a fantastic piece inspired by landscape and heritage.
School pupils in Rousay explored the Victorian age through walks and talks with archaeologists and an archaeology researcher Nela Scholma-Mason who had been looking into Lady Eliza Burroughs. Part of the project included a traditional tea dance - a fantastic intergenerational socal occasion. Mabel Besant who lives in Hoy visited Rousay school to teach traditional dances and even wrote one especially for the school pupils.
Getting outdoors and learning more about the environment and landscape was an important part of the NILPS education plan and the outdoor landscape adventrue sessions for 8-18 years olds went down a storm across a number of islands during summer 2023 and 2024. Activities included raft building, kayaking, archery and bushcraft. Orkney Islands Council's Outdoor Education team delivered the activities, and NILPS funded local guides who could knit in activities and learning connected to nature, wildlife and archaeology.
Katy's report goes into more detail and we've not listed everything here so please do look at the report for much more information about the various projects.
