“Seeing the value in my lived experience, and being more receptive to the experiences of others”: TAP student Poppy O'Brien reflects on their internship at The Hepworth Wakefield

Image 1: A woman stands next to an art installation, displayed in a window. The installation description is displayed on the wall on the left side of the image.

In this post, TAP student Poppy reflects on their time at Hepworth Wakefield and their understanding of knowledge exchange and what it means to listen to others.

Before TAP I knew many things. How important our green spaces are for our planet's future. How I want to use my creativity in everything I do. How I want to have an impact on people, be able to express the importance of climate change, and get people to engage with these issues. I also knew that I had a lot to say. However, before TAP I didn't know how to utilise these things, how to take my knowledge and experience and apply them in real life, or how to convince people that these things matter. With this internship, I learned about the importance of knowledge exchange and how much value those things I had to say could hold. My internship involved a sound and art project, designed to engage local young people with their green spaces. My role involved planning and helping to run the sessions with resident artists, as well as writing copies about the project for the galleries website and gallery wall. This project was completed as part of Wakefield’s ‘Greening the City’ initiative- a programme of cultural projects and events designed to raise awareness of the issues of climate change. 

My understanding of knowledge exchange currently stands at this: seeing the value in my lived experience, and being more receptive to the experiences of others. I have the ability to share my point of view on issues such as accessibility, in terms of limited opportunities given to those from a less privileged background or those coming from lower income households. However, I am able to acknowledge the privileges I do have, and have learned more about what I, and others, can do to make places more accessible. My internship programme specifically allowed me to develop in this area, as I was able to attend sessions with the Yorkshire Accessible Museums Network (YAMN). YAMN discuss inclusivity and accessibility issues within the cultural sector and showcase the specific projects and programmes they have completed that focus on inclusivity.

I gained respect for my point of view, and the point of view of others. With this partnership I got to work with amazing young people, and an incredible manager Rachel, who had experiences nothing like mine. This was clearly a knowledge exchange, as the young people taught me so much. For example, going into this project I thought about the importance of protecting our green spaces purely from a climate standpoint, but they taught me how valuable they can be as social spaces, places for young people to meet and socialise safely- places that should be protected, cared for, and free.  I worked with young people who had connected as part of an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) group. To witness these individuals interacting with our green spaces and creating sound and art that reflected this, was so impactful. I am passionate about protecting our planet and green spaces, so seeing younger people who had not previously engaged within this area gave me hope for future change. This experience of creativity, culture, education, and awareness for our green spaces, shaped me and my current career path in a way that I am so grateful for. I now appreciate the value I hold and have a newfound drive for education. I have seen how to engage people, and I have been able to engage them too, sharing my passion with others and collectively working with them on a positive and impactful project. 

I began a new role in July, working for my local council's adult education team. My first responsibility was assisting with the council’s ESOL Summer School. I could take the things I had learned from my internship and immediately apply them to my role, and this was a great help. For example, working with young people who had completed an ESOL programme taught me how to adapt my language and communication, a skill I utilise daily in my job, working with those enrolled on ESOL courses. I am confident in my role and my ability thanks to the skills and knowledge exchanged during my internship. I cannot think of another way so many young people can be connected with such important cultural players, as this internship programme. This opportunity is a great asset to the University of Sheffield and I hope it can continue for many years, so others can have experiences like mine. 

A poem, ‘What I have learned in listening’ by Poppy O’Brien

Minds.

Young, younger, and older.

Creating.

Sharing ideas, sharing voices, sharing sounds, and colours, and time.

Relationships.

With myself, with you, with others and with green spaces.

Growth. 

Professional, personal, and natural.

Places.

Mine, yours, near and far, new and changed.

Time.

Our history, our experiences, and our uncertain futures.

I hope you have learned as much as me.

Links related to the project:

A link to the gallery website discussing the project: What does Wakefield sound like? (hepworthwakefield.org)

A link to the final sound piece that was created during the project: What Does Wakefield Sound Like? - YouTube