We are so excited to announce that on Monday 20th April, the incredible comedian, presenter, author and our amazing patron Sara Pascoe is hosting a comedy night in aid of Write Back at the stunning Soho Theatre Walthamstow. It promises to be a hilarious night with Sara offering big laughs for a big cause: transformative storytelling programmes for more young people in our community.

Please purchase your ticket via the link below and treat yourself to an unmissable evening while helping raising some essential funds for our work.

“I’m so in love with the creativity, ideas and stories of young people - and can’t wait to hear more from the young writers of Barking and Dagenham. More of their voices need to be heard.”

— Sara Pascoe, Comedian, Writer and Actor - Write Back Patron

We are beyond delighted that our film ‘Ink Ignites Change’ has been nominated for a Smiley Award. The film made by Us.Man.Dere in partnership with the Media Trust and funded by the Mercers’ brings the words and ideas of some of our storytellers to the big screen. We think it captures beautifully the power of young writers’ voices. If you think so too then please don’t forget to vote for us!

Over the last six years we’ve grown from a project in one school to a charity with reach right across our borough working with youth centres, schools and other local partners to reach hundreds of young storytellers. In the last year alone, we have doubled the number of programmes we run and the number of young people we have helped to publish.

To help us navigate this period of growth, we are looking for a new Chair of Trustees to oversee a significant period of strategic choices. We are looking for someone who wants to get closely involved in setting the strategy, direction and priorities of Write Back as we transition from new ‘start-up’ into a more established charity. As a small charity, the Chair will be someone who can think ‘big picture’ but also is happy to get involved with day-to-day matters when necessary - securing new funding, overseeing our staffing model, building networks with other organisations and more.

Today we launch our brand new short film all about the power of writing. It is written and voiced by some of our graduate storytellers, made by the incredible creative team at Us Man Dere, produced by the amazing Media Trust and funded by The Mercers’ Company. We are so fortunate to have been selected for this Media Trust programme and so grateful that UMD made us such a beautiful impactful film. We hope it inspires more young people to pick up a pen and tell their stories.

“In your grip, the power lies
To shape the world, with words that rise”

— Ink Ignites Change

We are delighted to be offering schools the chance to run Write Back programmes within their premises. This term we have been rolling this out our storytelling programmes in The Jo Richardson Community School in Becontree and Greatfields School in Barking. It’s great to be able to reach even more young peole and prove that every young person has a story to tell and the power to tell it.

Two storytellers at The Jo Richardson Community School developing their stories.

“My highlight was coming together and being able to explain your problems and how you are feeling.”

— Storyteller from The Jo Richardson Community School

Amazingly, this year marks a whole decade since our very first book ‘Young Voices: Untold Stories’ was unveiled at Valence House library. It is also our 5th anniversary of being a formally registered charity. We are delighted that all these years later we still have the privilege of working with young people in Barking and Dagenham to find their voices and tell their stories.

Some of the orignal storytellers planning what would go on to be Write Back.

We hope that in 10 years time that we are still here giving young people the transformative opportunity to tell their stories. To ensure that’s the case, we are currently conducting deep dive interviews with young people we’ve worked with right across that 10 years to better understand our impact, work out where we can develop and ensure we have a plan fit for the future.

So if you are a current or former storyteller then watch this space and expect to hear from us soon!