Blog Statement - Mark Small

Name: Mark Small

Why do you want to be involved in the project?  I have always had an interest in historic buildings – specifically churches and castles - and during university I discovered a passion for regeneration projects, so when the opportunity to be part of a regeneration project focussing on a church building came along, I jumped at the chance.

I also very firmly believe in the ability of young people to work better, if not as well, as the ‘old people’ community, and this project is an opportunity to prove young peoples’ worth and justify their voice in a community.

What kind of new opportunities are you looking forward to?  The project has already brought along lots of new opportunities for me – before New Saints I’d never chaired a meeting, or arranged site visits for groups of heritage professionals, or written funding applications.  One of the new opportunities that I’m looking forward to is creating a heritage project that uses social media like blogging, twitter, facebook, linkedIn and digital photos to enhance and extend the project.  I think if we do this right, we could create a model of practice for future heritage and regeneration projects.

How will working with the project help your future?  Being part of the New Saints group has given me a lot of confidence in my abilities, more than one person that I’ve met at distinct parts of the project has commented on how much I’ve grown through this work.  Working with the project has already put me in contact with a whole range of influential people, which could potentially have a huge impact on my future.  Having the project under my belt will also be great for using as examples during job interviews.

Where would you like to take lead in the project?  I’m looking forward to the next few phases of the project where we’ve made a decision on what the new use will be and start comparing designs for the actual physical regeneration work.  I’m also interested to see the results of our community consultation initiatives.  One area that I would like to take the lead on is the social media side of the project as it is a passion of mine.

How would you like to celebrate achievements?  I think the biggest celebration of our achievements, for me, will be when I see the church packed full of people – of all backgrounds, ages, and genders.  Seeing the church used and valued is the ultimate endgame.