On the 11th of March, I embarked on a journey from London to St. Helen, excited to visit David and the team at Buzz Hub. Our primary aim was to delve into a shared project interest: utilising virtual reality (VR) to craft tailored travel experiences for individuals unable to embark on conventional journeys.
Upon arrival at the Buzz Hub Media location, David and Sophie warmly welcomed me. Eager to collaborate, they generously shared insights on optimising video production with a 360-camera device. We delved into various aspects of video and audio capture techniques, discussing camera height, speed, different recording methods, and ensuring smooth visuals. Fortuitously, the weather favoured us, allowing venturing out and test recordings, granting me a glimpse of previously unexplored corners of the city centre.
Our day progressed with David guiding me through different hubs, commencing with the bustling media hub. This vibrant centre showcased an array of captivating activities, including DJing, radio broadcasting, filming, printing stations, and virtual reality experiences. Transitioning to the art and joinery hub was equally enlightening; I was captivated by the creative atmosphere and the remarkable pieces crafted by the service users under the guidance of dedicated staff. Although presently sharing space with the joinery hub, plans for relocating the art hub were underway. Witnessing the harmony between staff and members was truly inspiring, particularly during a culinary activity by a group of service users.
To my pleasant surprise, upon returning to the media hub, I found myself thrust into the spotlight as Karl interviewed me for local radio. With this unexpected moment of recognition behind me, I bid farewell. I returned to the station, equipped with a 360 camera in my backpack, eager to embark on our project experimentation and implementation.
Reflecting on the day’s events during my train journey home, I realised the experience had exceeded my expectations. While the primary focus was on discussing our VR project and securing the camera from David and the team, the visit left me excited, particularly after witnessing the remarkable work of the Buzz Hub. The dedication and professionalism demonstrated by all involved were commendable, reaffirming my admiration for the exemplary work carried out across Karten Centres.
I feel so privileged to be part of the Karten Network, not only for the development opportunities it offers, not only for the financial, technical, and ethical support it provides, to allows us to support our service users as best we can, not only for the influential work it does to advocate for people living with disabilities and education but also for the network (as the name says) of peers that it provides us with—for someone working on the front line with our users, being able to bounce ideas and pick up tricks and concerns of people working in similar settings and probably experiencing the same obstacles, the Karten Network is without a doubt a fantastic ally to have.
The network’s collaborative ethos, exemplified through initiatives like Techability Champions, peer week exchanges, and conferences, is something I wholeheartedly encourage others to embrace and leverage for mutual growth and success.
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- This article was written by the Jewish Care Karten Centre
- Featured in the Karten Spring 2024 Newsletter
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