The first Creative Leadership programme came to an end during summer and since then we’ve had space to reflect, evaluate and plan for the next iteration of the programme!
The programme was initially conceived in partnership with our Creative Influencers Youth Voice group, in response to a need for greater diversity of voices and engagement from young people across Manchester, within MADE.
Our goals for Young People were for them:
- To develop a set of skills: Leadership Skills, Creativity, Collaboration, Public Speaking, Confidence & Critical Thinking and Problem Solving.
- To feel empowered to engage with Manchester’s arts and cultural offer.
- To envision a possible route into creative careers.
- To make connections with like-minded young people.
Our goals for MADE were:
- To increase MADE’s reach and improve our direct contact with young people.
- To increase our pool of Creative Influencers.
- To encourage MADE’s connections with individual teachers.
- To reach schools with low arts provision.
- To progress towards our goal of a fully youth-led Youth Voice group.
A group of 8-10 young people from 5 Manchester schools came together in 7 sessions every month at cultural venues across Manchester that most of them had never visited before. Whilst at these venues, the young people learnt leadership skills by shadowing senior arts professionals, gaining insight into their unique journeys into their roles, whilst devising activities and approaches for promoting MADE’s creative opportunities in schools that we have not yet engaged.
The Creative Influencers explored Z-arts, Contact, The Whitworth, Manchester Art Gallery and Factory International, taking part in workshops in poetry, drama, leadership skills and more. They received free tickets to a variety of shows and exhibitions.
All of the Creative Leaders felt that they had built on their confidence throughout the programme. As the sessions went on, they increasingly engaged in conversation amongst themselves and felt more comfortable asking questions. They all felt that visiting each of the venues had brought them closer to the cultural offers across the city with many of them enquiring about work experience, following up by requesting venue and artist details to explore opportunities that they can get involved with.
“There are so many jobs you can do in the arts and you don’t always have to go to university for them.”
"Before this I didn't know how many things you could do in the arts industry except the obvious ones."
A priority within the programme for us was to model accessible and diverse approaches to leadership. In response, the Creative Leaders crafted this insightful poem.
I am everyone’s first time living
I am the space between words
I am the bridge to your success
I am the warm from the harsh chaos outside
I am the stillness in the eye of the storm
The group demonstrated progression in Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving skills. In one session they explored how recruitment to MADE’s Youth Voice groups could be promoted more effectively, voicing ideas that might bring their classmates in such as pinning a badge to themselves and using social media & video content in a more relatable and inviting way.
Even though the programme used creativity primarily to explore leadership, students that were not considering creative careers at all found their confidence and self-belief grew throughout sessions. For example, the programme encouraged travel into the city centre, and one participant began to get the bus to sessions independently. Another initially reserved participant made independent connections between feeling uncomfortable at school and lack of individuality and self-expression.
“What was made clear to me was that these young people had the passion and confidence to make the most of opportunities and also help us shape what happens to make it more relevant for young people.” - Emma Carroll, Learning Engagement Manager at Manchester Art Gallery
“The students grew in confidence, developed their passion for the arts and worked as a team. The impact of this programme on the young people involved has been life changing, I look forward to seeing the next cohort enjoy what MADE and Manchester have in store.” - Lizi, Drama Teacher at Chorlton High
Following on from the final session held at Factory International, the progression for the Creative Leaders will be to join the Creative Influencers. This group have been a part of MADE since its inception and continue to meet at Manchester cultural venues every month. The Creative Leaders graduated from the programme and met the current Creative Influencers within this last session as a first step for inviting them to join this group.
The programme has also been beneficial for the venues who have supported this group of young people to enter and experience their venues, gaining insight into how the group interacted with their spaces and exhibitions/shows.
This pilot was extremely insightful and from continued CPD and evaluation reported back by the young people, we can make this project stronger, and more youth led.
We are optimistic that we will secure the funding we need to deliver the next phase of the programme that will be refined in response to the feedback from this pilot’s cohort.
