Digital Voice has been awarded Family Arts Campaign Award status
Digital Voice has been awarded Family Arts Campaign Award status by the Family and Childcare Trust.
The Family Arts Campaign is a national Sector Support Organisation funded by Arts Council England and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to increase family engagement with arts and culture.
Digital Voice achieved this status in recognition for its 14 years of work with participants often excluded from digital media, helping individuals and communities to gain a wide range of benefits. Digital Voice has always strived to ensure that activities for all ages are as accessible and inclusive as possible. In practice this includes detailed proposals prior to the commencement of any activity with all relevant information shared with parents, guardians, participants and partners. Following the completion of projects Digital Voice has an evaluation and review process, ensuring participant voices are heard. An experienced Digital Voice project manager is hands on throughout all sessions, acting as a point of contact and able to assist with any potential complaints or concerns and where necessary Digital Voice works with partners to provide appropriate refreshments and travel expenses to programme participants, although this is also written into funding applications for maximum opportunities for accessibility and inclusion.
Digital Voice works to encourage digital skills, self-confidence, arts participation opportunities and reduce the digital divide across the north east region. This often means taking programmes directly to participants, offering sessions in participants' and partners' own spaces which guarantees that people will feel comfortable with the environment and able to access sessions. To achieve the status of a Family Arts organisation, Digital Voice had to meet 12 criteria, these were:
1. Offer programming and activities for a range of ages.
2. Take practical steps to make performances /activities accessible to as wide an age range as possible: so appropriate events can be enjoyed and appreciated by all
members of the family group taking part.
3. Provide clear guidance on age appropriateness and sensitive content so families can decide if an activity is suitable for them.
4. Take into account transport issues when planning dates of activities, start and finish times, length of performance/activity, length of intervals or breaks.
5. Have clear pricing and take into account the diversity of families when considering pricing and ‘family offers’.
6. Ask families about their experiences and views. Highlight changes that have been made and any barriers to achieving other suggestions.
7. Have a clear public policy for addressing complaints.
8. Reach out to and welcome all families to enjoy the arts and try new experiences.
9. Understand the needs of families of different ages and from different communities and remain flexible and responsive to them.
10. Ensure staff are trained to be aware of the barriers that may exist for families that include disabled adults and children, including those with complex needs and/ or
behaviour.
11. Have helpful staff who can respond to families’ questions and needs.
12. Provide clear and honest information in print and on the internet about the facilities that are available.
Digital Voice programmes that demonstrate these values include PhotoClub, Inspiring Futures and Red Star Reports, all of which you can read about in more detail by clicking on them.
