CHANNEL 4 EDUCATION NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2009


	TALKING TO TEENAGERS	TALKING TO TEENAGERS
	Hollyoaks	Battlefront
Hollyoaks cast	Hollyoaks has launched a hard-hitting online drama spin off to support the Home Office's 'Know Your Limits' safe-drinking campaign. It's part of a cross-platform campaign which will use a website and partnerships with social networks to reinforce the safe-drinking message. The drama storyline will explore issues including women in vulnerable situations, alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour.	Battlefront won the award for best positive representation of young people at the 'Children & Young People Now' awards. These awards are specifically aimed at projects that demonstrate excellence in their support of young people, so we were particularly proud that Battlefront was recognised for the great work its campaigners are doing. We're now designing an even bigger and better site for Battlefront's relaunch in 2010. To get involved click here.


	EDUCATION IN PEAK
	On Tour With The Queen
Kwame Kwei-Armah	In 1953 the newly-crowned Queen Elizabeth set off on a six-month, 45,000 mile royal world tour. It was the most ambitious royal tour ever undertaken, and the first time a British monarch visited the colonies. Over half a century later, actor and playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah, himself a ‘child of Empire’ whose parents came from the West Indies, retraces her journey.	Visiting the Caribbean, Australasia, Africa and Pacific Islands, Kwame will reveal the remarkable story of the young Queen’s royal charm offensive, which ensured the tour’s success, and he’ll explore how the end of Empire changed both the colonies and Britain. Series TX from 10 August


	TALKING TO TEENAGERS
	Revelations series
Revelations:Talking To The Dead (working title)	Revelations: Talking To The Dead (working title) Filmmaker Richard Alwyn sets out to meet the congregation of a Spiritualist Church in London, people whose lives are fashioned by a belief in survival beyond the grave. Sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, Alwyn’s film offers an intimate insight into a range of characters: from a GP developing his talents as a medium to a man whose life is shaped by ‘Spirit Guides’. The film explores how Spiritualism is often associated with loss. But along the way, Alwyn has startling experiences of his own, making him wonder whether there is more to Spiritualism than meets the eye. TX 9 August at 7pm	Revelations: How Do You Know God Exists? Leading figures in the five principal faiths in this country (Anglican, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu), discuss their beliefs and answer questions about their basic faith and their own spiritual journeys. The key figures interviewed are Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, Muslim theologian Tariq Ramadan, Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Swami Pramtattva. TX 16 August

EDUCATION IN PEAK

Benefit Busters

For the first time ever, Britain pays out more in benefits than it raises in income tax. Welfare and pension payments cost more than education, health or defence. Now, as the government attempts to revolutionise the welfare system - Channel 4 follows the people on both sides of this new welfare state. Benefit Busters tells the human stories behind the statistics, exploring explores how welfare policy is working through the eyes of those receiving benefits and those whose job it is to get people back into the workplace.

Series TX from 20 August at 9pm

EDUCATION IN PEAK

Alone In The Wild

Alone in the Wild is a three part series in September following cameraman and adventurer Ed Wardle as he goes into the wilderness of the Yukon for 12 weeks totally alone, recording his own experiences of physical and psychological survival. Each day he has to send an 'I'm alive and ok' message, and these daily alerts will go direct to the microblogging service Twitter. Ed won't be able to see the discussion, but his friends and a range of experts will give insight into what Ed is going through. The Twitter site is live now and Ed's daily messages from the wild are published every morning, to follow his progress click here.


	For more information about any of the projects, programmes or events detailed here please contact: Rachel Postgate, email: rpostgate@channel4.co.uk, Telephone: 020 7306 8282

TALKING TO TEENAGERS

TALKING TO TEENAGERS

ESSA Awards

The first 2morro Festival took place on London's South Bank in July, with sponsorship from Channel 4 Education and a wide range of other organisations including Shine. The festival brought together over 450 students from across the UK to discuss how best to use technology to promote social change, with debates, workshops, keynote presentations, a hack day session, music and awards ceremonies. To visit the website click here. For further information email Steve Moore.

Channel 4 hosted the English Secondary Students Association's Manifesto for Change Awards this year. Students were asked to submit three minute videos suggesting how Education might be improved, and ESSA will put together a Manifesto for Change for politicians at the party conferences this Autumn. Comedian Jack Whitehall added his sparkle to the Awards, and more than 200 people watched the winning videos alongside students from the shortlisted schools.