Finding a way forward for fireworks: Community Action Blackburn update

Through Knowledge is Power, young people in Blackburn, West Lothian have co-created a series of videos on firework safety with Mind Waves just in time for bonfire night.

Community Action Blackburn is a community-led group in Blackburn who were supported by Knowledge is Power to identify issues around the misuse of fireworks within Blackburn in order to drive positive change around the issue.

Their involvement in Knowledge is Power was funded by the Scottish Government and further support was provided by West Lothian Council.

Progress was challenging due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, which made it difficult to involve and engage with community members.

However, some communty engagement around the issue was conducted as things started to get back to normal, and Community Action Blackburn agreed that a video or animation could be used to highlight some of the communities concerns and priorities. Building on this, a media and mental health-focused charity, Mind Waves, worked with the local Youth Action Project to develop a series of videos with young people.

The engaging and entertaining videos focus on firework safety as well as challenging sterotypes about young people and fireworks.

Click here to see the videos together as a single reel.

Further information

• Visit the websites of Community Action Blackburn, West Lothian Youth Action Project and Mind Waves for more information about the organisations involved.

• Read more about Knowledge is Power here.

• See more learning and news from Knowledge is Power on our learning page.

STill from one of the videos