New website designed by Wirral Met students launches this week

A brand-new website, designed by students at Wirral Met College (@WirralMet) in partnership with Wirral Council launches this week.

ZILLO, which replaces the Council’s former site for young people ‘Teen Wirral’, is a cutting-edge platform designed by computing students at Wirral Met College, with modern features including; a fully interactive events map, news page, links to professional wellbeing, advice and support pages plus opportunities for young budding writers to submit their own articles.

Supported by staff in the council’s Youth Matters team, young people will be empowered to take control of and shape the site, while sharing and contributing on the topics that matter to them.

Simone White, Director of Children’s, Family & Education for Wirral Council, said:

“The COVID-19 crisis provided us all with opportunities to think differently about how we can use technology to reach people. Young people especially have been vocal in telling us what they want and need in Wirral. I’m so proud and pleased to be able to launch ZILLO, alongside our partners at Wirral Met and their talented students who have contributed to the project.

“Through the creation of content for the website, young people have the chance to have their say on important issues, to showcase the amazing things they are doing in their lives and to feel a deeper connection to their communities. ZILLO will also offer young people a new way to interact with each other, with opportunities to continue shaping and building the future of the platform.”

ZILLO is a partnership project between Wirral Council and Wirral Met’s level 5 students with the support of the college. The website is fully mobile-optimised and includes full accessibility options to enable access across the site to people with learning difficulties and / or disabilities.

Sue Higginson, Principal at Wirral Met, said:

“Wirral Council is a key strategic partner and following Wirral’s youth review in 2019, we wanted to support their objectives to create a new website for local young people. We were also excited that this would continue to evolve and grow over time, in order to meet the needs of Wirral’s young people.

“Building a website has been a fantastic work experience opportunity for our students from across the college including; web development, leisure and tourism, art and design, photography and music.

“Alongside work experience, our students have brought their own invaluable insight, experience and opinions as young people themselves, in terms of what the website should look like, feel like and offer. This project has truly been built by young people, for young people.”

The website is now live and available to access at zillowirral.co.uk.