Description: Hi8us is more used to engaging groups of young people in media production. However, when the sponsors of Hello Digital stated that they were keen to widen access to digital media, Hi8us thought it was a perfect opportunity to work with a group of older people for the first time. The idea of making digital stories with older people received a lot of positive responses from groups across Birmingham. This was not surprising, since it is such an accessible process and there are few digital media projects involving older people.

Description: Hi8us Projects was the lead partner in Inclusion Through Media (ITM), a £6.5m EC-funded Equal development partnership. Many ITM projects which were delivered by Hi8us took the form of partnerships with external organisations such as universities, independent production companies and sector support agencies.

Description: Since 2003 the StripSearch project has identified and nurtured comic illustration talent. Young people receive professional training from award-winning comic artists John McCrea and Hunt Emerson and mentoring from a range of professionals, as well as portfolio development and exhibition support from the Hi8us Midlands team.

Description: Projecting Stoke was a film-based scheme involving different communities in Stoke-on-Trent. Working in collaboration with professional filmmakers, the chosen participants developed, organised, directed and shot a number of short films.

Description: Hi8us, in partnership with the Creative Careers Surgery and Hello Digital, created a series of free talks across the West Midlands featuring award-winning animators and facilitated by broadcast presenter and producer, Shivani Mair of Creative Careers Surgery.

Description: In 2007 Hi8us Midlands ran the Boost scheme, a business support programme for new and emerging creative and digital media companies. 40 Young people keen to break into a range of media industries received a raft of support and services. These include individually chosen professional mentors, business planning, marketing and graphic design, supported networking, fundraising, paid events, tailored workshops and exhibition opportunities.

Description: We had not worked on the international stage before ITM, but Equal provided us with an exciting opportunity to establish new links with like-minded organisations across Europe. Our main project was DigiTales, a pan-European digital storytelling initiative involving people making short films about their lives.

Description: We have a long standing interest in the suitability of performance measures used by policy makers and funding agencies to assess the value of projects which have received assistance. When it came to understanding the value of creative activity with young people, we felt our work was undervalued by an over emphasis on easily calculated performance indicators.

Description: Hi8us in partnership with award-winning animation company, The Brothers McLeod, gave six budding animators the opportunity to take part in five masterclasses which enabled them to create their own one-minute animations.

Description: This youth-led creative and social network for isolated and disadvantaged 15 –25 year olds targeted new arrivals from diverse cultural backgrounds in South East London. Through participation in creative projects in performing and digital media, young people developed personal, social and creative skills and increased their self-esteem, necessary to access wider opportunities and transform their lives.

Description: Our ambitious artist development programme supports young musicians to develop their careers by helping them to produce their own music videos, as well as offering one-to-one support, mentoring, and participation in music industry seminars and workshops.

Description: This youth run broadband channel broadcasting from Bow, East London, focuses on UK underground music, emergent technology and local issues. UK Sound TV is the first broadband channel managed, produced, directed and crewed by a team of young people.

Description: Hi8us Midlands were commissioned to produce some e-learning materials to supplement the Prince's Trust xl Programme. The xl Programme provides teenagers at risk of exclusion from school alternative ways of engaging with education. Hi8us produced a CD-ROM with learning activities covering practical subjects such as Relationships, Health and Money.

Description: Following the sucess of the first Prince's Trust xl CD-ROM, Hi8us Midlands were commissioned to produce a second set of e-learning materials to supplement the Prince's Trust xl Programme. The xl Programme provides teenagers at risk of exclusion from school alternative ways of engaging with education. Hi8us produced a CD-ROM with learning activities focusing on business and entrepreneurship.

Description: Lisa’s No Pizza is an innovative online animation site that allows web-users to explore the issue of bullying. Lisa, the main character is being bullied by a fellow pupil called Mayid. Each stage of the animation allows the web-user to take the story forward by making choices themselves.