“Microbes to mosquitoes” aims to deliver high quality informal education to disadvantaged children and young people who as a result of their circumstances may find it difficult to engage with STEM subjects. Using interactive and artistic workshops I hope to get “scientists” out of their comfort zones in explaining their research to young people.

The youth club at Centre 63 is Knowsley’s oldest surviving youth club which works with 8-18 year olds who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and have a wide spectrum of needs which makes it difficult for them to access positive leisure opportunities and make friends. Within Kirkby 20% of young people are classified as NEET (not in education, training or employment). Knowsley is the worst performing local authority at GCSE level in England and funding cuts within the borough have seen the end of A-Level provision. Consequently, this project will foster an enthusiasm for further education and training with the hope that it will encourage young people, who may feel abandoned by academia, to engage with research and develop themselves academically and creatively in order to achieve their goals and raise their ambitions.

The project will involve the delivery of monthly sessions on a range of topics related to global health in collaboration with students and researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and University of Liverpool. Each session will consist of interactive and informative workshops focused on a particular subject (e.g. venomous snakes, disease causing insects).

While each month the workshops content will educate users about a specific topic, overall the project aims to encourage open discussion of scientific ideas, empower young people to ask questions and engage with research, and encourage a positive collaboration between scientists and the public.