Summary
Shout Out! is a magazine for 7-13 year-olds with cancer, designed and written with extensive input from them. It features information about living with cancer, articles and activities to help children with cancer have fun and take their minds off treatment, and content from its readers. Children spend months or even years away from home and school, friends and family; and missing out on education often leaves them feeling isolated. Shout Out! is designed to make them feel less alone, help them cope with the impact of cancer and offer peer support, as well as providing vital patient information for both children in hospital and at home.
The magazine was created by children, from concept to publication. Children supported by the charity said a magazine was the best way to reach this age group. They advised on all aspects of the magazine from the name to the look and feel, and contribute much of the content.
The feedback from pilot issues has been positive. Respondents surveyed ‘really enjoyed’ or ‘quite enjoyed’ it, with half reporting feeling happier or more positive after reading it. Nearly all think there is enough relevant information about cancer and 96 per cent think a magazine is the best way to provide information and share thoughts. One said: “I think it’s brilliant and will help many kids ... Also it looks amazing!” Issue 1 of the magazine was distributed to children at home and in hospitals this summer.
Objectives
- Support children to manage the impact of cancer and treatment on their lives
- Reduce the sense of isolation felt by children on and off treatment and help them feel supported
- Engage with children and provide them with opportunities to share their experiences and be involved with the charity’s work.
Solution
To find out how best to provide the support children wanted, the charity consulted its Children & Young People’s Advisory Group (CYPAG), young volunteers affected by cancer. Members, aged 7-13, recommended a magazine was the best way to reach the age group on the basis that children only used the internet to play games and rarely checked or used email. They advised on all aspects of the magazine including: look and style; content and name. Two pilot issues of Shout Out! were distributed in spring and summer 2011.
Results
Evaluation
Following the two pilot issues, a full evaluation was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of Shout Out! Age appropriate questionnaires were sent to recipients. Feedback was positive. The findings included:
- All respondents ‘really enjoyed’ or ‘quite enjoyed’ it
- Half reported feeling happier or more positive after reading it
- Nearly all thought there was enough relevant information about cancer
- 96% of respondents thought a magazine was the best way to give them information and share their thoughts
Feedback included:
- “I think it’s brilliant and will help many kids ... Also it looks amazing!!!”
- “I think Shout Out! is really colourful, is entertaining and has lots of fun things to do. It also gives the right amount of information about cancer.”
Following this evaluation, it was decided to continue Shout Out! in its current format. Issue 1 of the magazine was distributed to children at home and in hospitals this summer.
Innovation
A pioneering project
Shout Out! is the first magazine created by children with cancer for other children affected by cancer. The mix of information, fun facts, advice, things to do and jokes keep children entertained whether in hospital or recovering at home. The quarterly magazine helps children diagnosed with cancer to see they are not alone, to have the opportunity to ask questions and give their views directly about the issues that affect them. The creation of Shout Out! magazine from its conception to content has been led by children. Children are invited to submit material in the magazine itself, and for each issue we run a workshop with children in one of the UK’s 19 specialist children’s cancer hospitals to generate further content.
The costs of producing 7800 copies of the magazine (1500, rising to 2400 on a quarterly basis) in 2012/13 will be £12,500. The costs are principally for paying a copywriter and print and postage costs.
Impact
The following KPIs were established to measure the impact of Shout Out!:
- Submission of 15 items of user-generated content per issue
- 1% return rate on submissions
- Information Standard kite-mark to be included in relation to health and social care material
- Positive feedback in questionnaire distributed to recipients every two years.
