2. Creativity Works: it really does
Creativity is vital to the process of change and growth. It is
fundamental to being alive and to finding and constituting meaning in
life. Creativity is a quality that can be nurtured or repressed and it is
through creative actions that we make sense of the word around us.
The Creative Process
•Curiosity and interest are engaged and attention focused
•Materials are transformed and something new is made – acting as a
metaphor for change
•Learning, expression, sharing, communication and celebration take
place
•Heightened awareness leads to experience being enriched
•Transferable skills are learned such as R&D, problem solving and
communication

3. Creativity Works
Participants affirm that Creativity Works for them:
“It means everything to me really… I feel my
confidence and self esteem are better. At the
end of the day I feel like I’m getting somewhere”
“You have changed my life. Thank you.”

4. Creativity Works Project: Arts Council Funding
The Creativity Works project used the arts to
consult|engage|involve|empower.
•It focused on children and young people, 0 to 25 years old, their families and communities.
•It worked with a number of different groups of young people, young carers, looked after children, young
people at risk of self harm, families from disadvantaged communities and affected by domestic violence.
•The project promoted creative play, creative expression and creative community development as a tool to
transform lives empowering personal and social change.
•Creativity Works included arts projects that linked in with families and communities as well as involving young
people in designing and developing projects that they themselves had identified as important to them.

5. Young Carers Project
Partners: Off the Record
Young carers face particular hardships due to their caring roles
• They may care for a parent, sibling or grandparent with a physical
disability or illness, mental health issue, learning disability or drug
or alcohol addiction
• This can mean they have to help with practical chores, helping with
medical needs, financial responsibilities or emotional support.
• These responsibilities mean young carers have less time to play and
relax and lack the opportunities to explore their creativity
• Young carers can miss a lot of school due to their caring role which
means they don’t always achieve as much as other children and
young people of their age
Sonia Hutchison, Off The Record

6. Young people explored their creativity
through:
digital
photography, painting, will
ow weaving, stone
carving, clay modeling, &
charcoal
“The projects enabled young carers
to explore the things in their lives
that are important to
them, sometimes this has been
focused on their caring role and
sometimes it has been an
opportunity to have a break from
their caring role.”

8. Participants were able to develop and showcase
their work in a variety of ways
• Steering group of young
people
• 3 Publications
– Water Memories Making
History
– Our Side of the Story
– Creativity |WORKS
• Family Open Day
• Provide training for Social
Work students at the
University of Bath
• Creativity Works Conference
• art|effects Exhibition [ Bath
Fringe Festival]

9. Creativity Works: art|effects

10. “The young carers learnt new skills and tried creative methods
they have never had an opportunity to try before. They have
had the opportunity to document their creative endeavours
through art books and by being published in Water
Memories, Our Side of the Story and creativity |WORKS.
This has added to the impact of using creative methods as it has
given them something they can put on their CV to support them
in the future and supporting them to reach another one of the
Every Child Matters priorities to Achieve Economic Well Being.”
Sonia Hutchison, Off The Record

11. Creativity Works
The group developed their own individual personal stories and shared these with
others.
Links with University of Bath Social Policy and Social Work Students has introduced the
concept of shared learning through service users to inform service providers and
provision.
Numbers:
– Steering group 12 young people
– 16 Participants directly engaged additional to above
– 2 Artists
– 5 Off the Record Support Workers gaining skills transfer
– Voluntary staff workers + 4 Social work accredited students gaining skills
transfer
– 20 Addition Social work/policy students
– Total by project end: 79 + Audience estimates 300

12. Creativity Works
Off The Record Young Carers Legacy Creativity|WORKS
•A new steering group has been formed at Off the Record supported
by the work of Sonia Hutchison. The facilitated group are developing
projects that they want to pursue and develop funding packages and
applications.
•A new University and social work student learning programme has
been developed and is progressing the action research model adopted
and integrated within the Social Work Degree qualification.
•Regular Young Carers arts activities steering group and consultative
sessions are now running.
•The work has been showcased and additional workshops delivered at
Family days in Keynsham and at creative development days at
University of Bath.

14. Creativity Works
Creativity Works has a strong commitment to working with
artists to support their development and explore their
relationship with culture and social change.
Creativity Works aims to work with artists who see social
engagement as a key element in their work and who bring
a particular way of working to community projects:
– facilitative and empowering
– Responsive and flexible