Please help me. I've been asked to put something together and I'm not sure how to tackle it.

[MrsWinnibago]

I've been asked to submit a proposal for a project which is being launched by a museum/library which has excellent archives.

It's a project for young people which will run for four years on a weekly basis and without revealing too much it will involve performance, research, history and social media.

I've been approached because I have experience in all of the areas which are relevant but I'm confused!

They say they want someone to work "intensively" through July to get this project ready to launch in August...they want "some element of performance" for the young people involved and they want some element of it all being on social media.

I don't know what to offer them!

I'm actually a writer...I could easily write them batches of scripts for online performances...but I think they want the teens to be involved in the research as it says "Using the resources of the library and archives" as part of the description.

Do they want me to get the teens involved hands-on with the research or just for me to present them with a fait accompli in the form of "Here's your scripts, this is what you do now go and do it"

Just email your post to them and see what they say?

Well that will make me look professional! Not!

It is a four year project; can it evolve? So you would start off with you doing scripts (so you have something ready for August, to hook the children in) but it evolves into following what the teenagers want and letting them do the research (by then you will know which ones can be trusted not to wreck their precious archive!).

Do you know where the funding is coming from - does that give any pointers?

Senua thank you...that's what I was wondering. I think I'm lacking in confidence but I thought about showing the children how to use the archives (though I'm no librarian!) and then once they've familiarized themselves with the scripts which I produce, letting them have a go at writing their own...guided of course.

I think it's lottery funded but can't swear to it.

I can't quite see how it will pan out over 4 years as the group changes because the money they'd be paying me won't cover me for that long...

Four years is a VERY long time- do they intend to run a number of shorter courses over the four years? Do you need to design a shorter project that can be repeated?

Most teens will find it difficult to commit to four years' involvement.

Could they mean that they have secured funding for four years?

tethers that's a good point...it IS a long time isn't it!

I can only imagine they envisage the teens' group changing and evolving but the project staying the same which will be hard to manage...OR they expect four years worth of short scripts (monologue length) to be prepared in one month.

That's a script a week for four years which makes...what? Maths isn't my strong point.

I wonder if they want you to design a short course which will be repeated over the four years...

An evolving group would not work at all IMO- how would students know when they had completed their contribution? They would need an ending, otherwise their involvement only ends if they drop out, which is incredibly negative.

I'd ask them exactly what they want.

I don't think it's unprofessional of you to seek clarity on the brief; I think it's unprofessional of them to make their aims and objectives so unclear.

It is unclear isn't it...or perhaps they just don't really know what they want till they see it written down! It's a bit close to the deadline for me to risk contacting them as I might be short of time when it comes to putting together my ideas.

I think I will have the conviction of my whatever you call it and just go for it...because I think they don't know what they're doing! Thanks so much for your input tethers it's very much appreciated.

Not this area but writing / assessing proposals is a big part of my job.

I would present 2 or 3 options each scoped in terms of time. Perhaps scope on detail the first 6 or 8 weeks and have suggestions/ themes for ones going forward. You might want to think in terms? Build to a mini performance at half term and bigger at Christmas?

I'd also build in some evaluation / reflection. It's ok not to get it quite right but how will you know/ change it?

But I do think they expect the teens to write / research scripts. You could give them something first week then they would need to choose topics, research etc. for themselves. Something topical maybe- First World War, sport,scientific discovery etc?

Starting points from texts, artefacts, whatever. Choose a selection for kids to explore.

Improvisation based on ideas from above.

Develop scripts, with access to collections for research. You will probably have to structure this quite carefully.

Rehearsal.

Performance, tied into social media. Not my strong point, but how about a twitter feed from a character?

Repeat for different groups over 4 years. Subsequent cohorts have previous groups' work as part of their research material. Perhaps children who have been through the.process could work with younger groups.

Good luck, it sounds like a fantastic.opportunity.

Greener very helpful thank you...especially the idea about including time for assesment/evaluation!

Jolly thank you...I think it needs to stand alone once I've launched it as it were...so yes, it would work well if the students can access previous work for sure.