A student speaking into a microphone while an artist stands in the background

Small Voices

Small Voices is a special edition episode of our podcast Box Tickers, created with and centred on children’s equality

When voices join together, they can make a whole lot of noise

Small Voices is a special edition episode of our podcast, Box Tickers, created with and centred on children’s equality. The episode explores what equality means to young people in Manchester and what adults can do to make things better for the next generation.

Partnering with a cohort of amazing artists and facilitators in three primary schools across Manchester, we’ve run workshops on equality, offered opportunities to create poems and recorded children’s voices sharing powerful poetic provocations.

Hosted by Sarah Emmott and Rachel Moorhouse, Small Voices has been created with Manchester City Council for Our Year, celebrating Manchester’s children and young people to help them create a future that’s safe, happy, health and successful.

Click here to listen to the podcast: On Spotify . On iTunes. Click here to watch a subtitled version of the podcast on Youtube.

A year 6 pupil holds up a sign which says, 'Equality for Everyone'. In the background another pupil holds a sign reading 'End Poverty now'.

A billboard in Piccadilly Gardens features children's writing that reads 'Rearrange the world into the shape of Fair. Solve the puzzle of people. maybe the world is what we win'.

Encouraging equality

Following over half a decade of running equalities workshops in Manchester, Small Voices started with a series of workshops for year 6 pupils at St Wilfrid’s CE Primary School in Newton Heath, Crowcroft Park Primary in Longsight and Haveley Hey Community School in Wythenshawe focusing on equality, equity, allyship and identity. These workshops have been followed by sessions with renowned poets Louise Wallwein MBE, mandla and David Viney, working with the pupils to create poems and provocations for the podcast.

Billboard campaign

In February the words of year 6 students who took part in Small Voices were broadcast on over 100 digital billboards across Manchester. The poetic provocations could be be seen on foot across the city from Piccadilly Gardens to Market Street, Exchange Square to the Northern Quarter. As well as on larger billboards on the Mancunian Way, Chester Road, Rochdale Road and more. A selection of images from the billboard campaign can be seen below. Photography by Michael Mannion.

Education resource pack

Education resource packs will be distributed to primary schools throughout the region, featuring equalities activities that teachers can run with their own classes.

Manchester Culture Award finalist

Small Voices is a finalist at Manchester City Council’s Culture Awards 2023 under the category of ‘Promotion of Culture and Education’. The awards will take place on Monday 4th December.

Billboards on either side of the Mancunian Way feature children's writing that reads 'Let Unity Rain'.

Low angle shot of a billboard on the Mancunian Way which features children's writing that reads 'Let Unity Rain'.

A billboard over the Mancunian Way features children's writing that reads 'Rearrange The World into the Shape of Fair'.

'Have courage to make a change' is written in children's handwriting on a billboard in Manchester.

'Our potential is limitless so don't switch off our dazzling lights' is written in children's handwriting on a billboard in Exchange Square, Manchester.

A facilitator talking to a group of students in a classroom

A child in a classroom grinning as a friend speaks into his ear

An artist and facilitator laughing at the front of a classroom

An artist standing at the front of a classroom with a student, the student is smiling

A group of students around a table speaking with Rachel

A child in a classroom smiling while joining in with a group game

An artist speaks to a student in the classroom

A facilitator laughing in a classroom as students run around playing a game

Creative credits

Production

Podcast creators and hosts: Sarah Emmott and Rachel Moorhouse
Podcast Producer: Anthony Bacon
Assistant Sound Technician: Daniel Ellaby
Project Lead Producer: Rachel Moorhouse
Education Lead Producer: Sarah Emmott
Project Associate Producer: Megan Holland

Partner Schools

Crowcroft Park Primary School
Haveley Hey Community School
St Wilfrid’s CE Primary School

Artists & Facilitators

Art with Heart workshop lead: Sarah Emmott
Art with Heart workshop assistant facilitator: Chelsea Morgan
Writing workshop lead artists: David Viney, Louise Wallwein MBE and mandla
Writing workshop assistant facilitators: Audrey Albert, Rami Yasir, Zena Freeman