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Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Hospitals Youth Workers are hosting their first ever ‘Summer Youth Festival Showcase’ event for patients aged 13-25 on Thursday 24 August, 1–5pm, at Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital.  

The showcase event is the culmination of a summer programme of activity specially tailored for young people receiving hospital treatment, coordinated by hospital Youth Workers. The programme has included dance and photography workshops, trips to the seaside and Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions.   

The event on Thursday is open to all patients aged 13-25, their families, and staff from across the hospital. The packed programme includes an exciting variety of engaging workshops and performances for all abilities including dance, drama, photography, crafting and lots more! Patients will star in performances, giving them the opportunity to share what they have learned.

Highlights at the festival will include creative writing and film making workshops as well as performances from Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ-based RJC Dance. The dance school based in Chapeltown is the leading inclusive black dance organisation in the North, empowering young people and adults through dance, movement and exercise.

Young people will also have the opportunity to try their hand at broadcasting through the Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital TV (LCHTV) website and app. This video-sharing platform, funded by Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Hospitals Charity, was created so that hospital staff, children and young people can share hospital experiences online to help others prepare for hospital admissions, reduce anxiety and give young people in hospital a voice. The showcase event will be broadcast live on LCHTV by patients along with music, podcasts and videos.

The Summer Youth Festival Showcase has been planned as a culmination of the summer programme, a chance for young people receiving hospital treatment to celebrate skills and talents developed during the summer and enjoy a festival atmosphere, making memories with their family and friends. The event aims to provide young people living with serious medical conditions with the opportunity to unleash their creativity and have fun in a safe space that promotes inclusivity.  

Mwesigwa Magumba – Youth Team Manager said:

‘It’s really important that we create opportunities like the Summer Showcase Festival where young people can showcase their achievements and their abilities beyond just their medical challenges. We want young people to be able to express and celebrate themselves, whatever their ability, whatever their strengths. Creating fun and exciting experiences is really important for young people and those in hospital can miss out at a really formative time in their lives’ 

Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Teaching Hospitals have the largest hospital-based youth work team in the NHS with ten Youth Workers working across children’s and adult wards and in the community throughout Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ. Each year trained youth workers see over 200 patients and provide services including psychosocial and emotional support, advocacy and support with transitioning to adult services. 

Mwesigwa said:

‘Youth Workers take a holistic approach and help young people to engage with their condition and their treatment in way that a doctors, nurses and other medical professional sometimes can’t. We help patients to understand and explore all aspects of their life including their health condition, in hospital and out in the community.

The Summer Youth Showcase Festival takes place Thursday 24 August, 1–5pm, outside Clarendon Wing Reception at Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital (LGI site).