PARTNERS

Creativity and Change, CIT Crawford College of Art and Design, Cork, Ireland

The delivery of the training is being lead by the Creativity and Change programme in CIT Crawford College of Art and Design 

• Creativity & Change is about creativity and its power to ignite empathy, passion and learning about our interconnected and interdependent world. 

• It is about imagining more humane, just and viable ways to live in the world. 

• It connects how we think, live and act in the world and considers how we can live as connected global citizens becoming part of the changes 

• we want to see.

The project offers a range of programmes including a longer term accredited training for those working in non formal learning settings, one to three day trainings across different regions in Ireland.

Youth Work Ireland, Cork

What is this organization passionate about changing?

We want to give confidence to young people, especially with regards to their own

abilities. We wish to make them aware of the various issues that affect their lives,

and the lives of the people in their community. We want young people to contribute

to their communities, become part of their community and allow them to effect a change by making informed decisions.

How does your organization support young people to be part of the changes they want to see?

With every group we facilitate, we try to instill social education, personal

development, empowerment, team building and confidence building. We aim to

empower and activate the young people.

Why do you work with creative methods?

We believe that using creative methods is a more natural way for young people to

express themselves. It also unlocks potential that young person may have in a

particular area.

What creative methods are you excited about using?

ALL! At present, there are daily art classes. There are music lessons, junior rapping,

senior rapping, a singsong group and more. I’m looking forward to getting involved

in all of these and to possibly add more creative methods within the organization,

i.e., drama etc.

Give an example of a project that you think has enabled your young people to grow as global citizens. Why was it successful?

One project I am involved with that I think has enabled young people to grow as

global citizens is One World Week. As a part of this project, we aim to run an event

about fair trade. This is to make young people aware of fair trade products and how

their buying habits affect the global rights of other people. In turn, this should help

the young people grow as global citizens.

Colour-Space Association of Pécs, Hungary

What is your organization passionate about changing?

We want to develop braveness, openness and pure understanding from the fears

inside people about their own selves and others. We work to

empower the most underpriviledged/disadvantaged groups and give them chance

to show their voice, in order to make impact on the society in the direction of

acceptance, understanding and collaboration.

What are some of the values that are important to your organization?

Empathy, self-expression, equality, solidarity, love, voluntary spirit.

How does your organization support young people to be part of the changes they want to see?

We work with different kinds of community arts with our young people and focus

on the participants’ growing abilities to respond to their real demands. We work to

provide the best tools to help young people express themselves.

Why do you work with creative methods?

Creative methods can make visible the invisible contents that we can’t express

with words. In the creative process, everybody is equal. Creative methods give the

possibility to get to know ourselves and each other.

What creative methods are you excited about using?

All kinds of visual arts (painting, photo, video, fine-art, graffiti, recycling, etc.),

performing arts (dance, theatre, circus, music) and creative writing.

Give an example of a project that you think has enabled your young people to grow as global citizens. Why was it successful?

We had a nice international project this year in which we elaborated on the topic

of discrimination, using arts and bringing all the results of our work on the street in

the form of a “desfile” (Spanish word meaning ‘parade’). It contained music,

performance and visual art pieces. The highest point was when we travelled to

Córdoba in Spain and did the same with a Spanish group. We brought five young

people to participate in this work who hadn’t been abroad before. They grew a lot

during the working process and opened up to the international environment.

Also, all of our projects that we realised through mural painting in local

communities and in prisons with young prisoners have been successful.

Malik Cultural Association, Sardinia

What is your organization passionate about changing?

What Malik Cultural Association is trying to do since the very beginning is to

‘change lives’, e.g.,

To change lives of immigrants who do not feel integrated into the hosting

community by organizing cultural and recreational activities.

To change lives of people who do not like to read, pushing them to read more

through the festival “Books Help to Read the World”.

To change lives of young people with geographical and socio-economical

problems, helping them to take part in European projects and exchange

ideas.

What are some of the values that are important to your organization?

Diversity, equality, inclusion, love, peace, exchange.

How does your organization support young people to be part of the changes they want to see?

We organize an initiative where young people are protagonists; pushing them to

take action and become “active European and global citizens.”

What potential do you see in the young people you engage with?

The young people we work with have communication skills and creativity. But most

of the time their skills are unexpressed due to the fact that they live in ‘an island

inside an island’ and do not have many occasions to exchange ideas with people

coming from different cultures and to meet the cultural diversity.

Why do you work with creative methods?

Art is a universal language and through art it is easier to arrive directly at the spirit

and at the heart.

What creative methods are you excited about using?

Muralismo, painting, theatre, collage, street art.

Give an example of a project that you think has enabled your young people to grow as global citizens. Why was it successful?

Sportello in Spalla (“Backpack Desk”) is an initiative promoted by Malik

Association aiming to connect young people all around the inland part of

Sardinia to inform them about work, volunteer and education opportunities abroad.

The inititive also serves as a youth centre, a place of social gathering for

teenagers and young people of the area of Barbagia. As the desk is moving from

town to town, various young people have a chance to perform as a leader of the

desk and become leaders of change. It is a successful project because it is

decentralized and follows a bottom-up tier.

Tandem Theatre, Manchester, UK

What is your organization passionate about changing?

Tandem Theatre is passionate about working with a diverse range of people and

community groups in order to increase creative opportunities available to them. We

are especially passionate about working with vulnerable and disadvantaged

communities.

What are some of the values that are important to your organization?

Working with diverse groups, increasing levels of opportunities in disadvantaged

communities and providing positive, fun and challenging activities.

How does your organization support young people to be part of the changes they want to see?

Tandem Theatre supports young people to be part of the changes they want to see

by providing a series of projects designed to work with young people who are

disadvantaged or vulnerable. These are designed to provide young people with the

knowledge and skills they need in order to improve their lives, as well as to increase

confidence and self appreciation.

What potential do you see in the young people you engage with?

The young people we work with are creative individuals who are all intelligent and

capable in many ways, even if they don't realize it themselves. They have the

potential to not only transform their own lives but the lives of their friends and

peers, making a positive impact on their communities.

Why do you work with creative methods?

We work with creative methods, as they are the most effective way to engage with

people, especially young people! Many people do not fit into the mold of traditional

'success' or 'intelligence' and creative methods can help young people realise that

their self worth does not rely on their grades. We believe creative methods can help

people unlock their potential, which may have been missed by traditional methods.

What creative methods are you excited about using?

Music, drama and other performative mediums.

Give an example of a project that you think has enabled your young people to grow as global citizens. Why was it successful?

Our 'Creation Junction' event run jointly between the Manchester Museum Youth

Board and Manchester Art Gallery Creative Consultants. The two groups worked

together during their school half term to create an event based around the

gallery’s exhibition on the First World War. The two groups brought together art,

music and artifacts from the museum to create an event that was sensitive to the

subject matter yet critically questioning of the act of war. We feel planning and

executing the event improved the young peoples skills and knowledge overall.