Maximising potential • Empowering communities • Transforming lives
Impact Report 2013
“Our pupils will treasure their Future Creative experience for a lifetime.” (Bill McGroy, Headteacher)
Future Creative CIC
Tel: 01304 370310
Email: info@future-creative.org
www.future-creative.org
Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
Future Creative CIC is a social enterprise organisation which provides creative learning, professional development and community engagement programmes in the education, cultural, public and youth sectors. We believe that everyone has the innate human ability to use and enjoy creative skills in their lives and the right to hone their potential through education, professional training and community development in order to transform their lives and the world around them for the better. 2
Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
2013 at a glance
Esme Chilton Chief Executive/Creative Director At Future Creative we care passionately about transforming life chances for children, young people and their communities through our education and training programmes. In this Impact Report, we are thrilled to share the positive differences we have made this year to the lives of thousands of children and adults nationwide.
Transforming lives
4694 lives of children and adults impacted by Future Creative
Improving life chances We have a unique team delivering our work, a combination of education specialists and creative professionals who all passionately believe that creative learning has the power to enable everyone to look at learning with a fresh eye; make new connections; solve problems with an open mind; find new approaches to the challenges; learn from mistakes and use their imagination to find positive outcomes. We are delighted to have worked with a diverse range of participants and clients during the year. I hope you will take away a sense of excitement after reading more. A key part of our ethos is the building of strong and effective relationships across the education and community sectors...why not get in touch and see the difference we can make for you in 2014? Want to keep up with our latest news? Find us on
80% NEET young people who went on to re-enter employment or training after working with us
Promoting social action
40 communities revolutionised by youth-led projects through Future Creative’s NCS programmes
Impacting the early years
97% practitioners we trained who increased in confidence in their early years practice
Future Creative CIC
Tel: 01304 370310
Email: info@future-creative.org
www.future-creative.org
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Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
Maximising potential 2013 saw Future Creative introduce the life-changing National Citizen Service (NCS) programme into areas of Suffolk and Hertfordshire. NCS is a fantastic opportunity open to all 16 & 17 year olds in England and Northern Ireland, that helps build skills for work and life, whilst taking on new challenges and meeting new friends. Action-packed outdoor residential away from home filled with activities and team building challenges. Back at home, pick a cause to fight for and run a social action project to make a difference in the local community. They may raise awareness, money or both! Certificate signed by the Prime Minster, presented at a huge graduation party with family and friends.
“NCS is not something you want to pass you by. You gain so much from it such as speaking techniques, self confidence, as well as friends you will have for life. It was great value for the family and allowed me to have the best experience of my life.” (Leigh, Hemel Hempstead) Need to find out more? If you’re interested, you can sign up today!
“I was a bit apprehensive at first, but I’m so glad I took part! I feel like I’ve achieved a lot rather than just staying at home. The days away are really fun, and planning the social action project really helps you get experience for the future.” (Claudia, Bury St Edmunds) Winner of Best Social Action Project One of our Summer NCS teams chose to bring modern day slavery into the light, by raising awareness and funds to combat this shocking problem that still exists in the 21st century. They tackled a 24 mile sponsored walk. The team then snapped and exhibited 1 photo every day for 27 days to represent the 27 million people estimated to be suffering from human trafficking across the world. For the finale, they performed a flash mob dance on their local high street – with choreography and music recording done by the team. Their charity spoke very highly of them and they in turn spoke passionately and with true understanding about their cause. “It was really inspiring to meet a group like this coming together...it gives us hope and confidence for the future.” (Nick Hollinghurst, Deputy Mayor, Tring) 4
Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
“I have noticed such a difference in my daughter – she has made lots of new friends and blossomed. The course is well worth doing as not only do the students gain lots of experience in a wide range of activities but they are helped so much with confidence and looked after. They have a graduation and receive a certificate that can be used as reference on applications.” (Parent, Aylesbury)
“NCS has really improved my confidence. It also has made me a lot more comfortable in an adult working environment with meetings and interviews.” (Natasha, Ipswich)
“The programme has been a game changer in terms of his emotional health and resilience.” (Teacher, Hertford)
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Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
Maximising potential Future Creative’s Kent-based employability and skills programme inspires and equips NEET young people aged 14 to 24 to re-enter education, employment or training.
“Future Steps has changed my life. I have gained the confidence to apply to Canterbury College and I am fitter, healthier and happier with myself.” Michael
We help young people to maximise their potential and to understand and develop their own personal abilities and life skills through creative working and learning alongside artists, writers, actors, and musicians.
I have improved my people skills, my CV writing skills and my team work skills. I am happy I joined.’ Grace
80% of participating young people have re-entered work or education.
"Working with Future Steps is rewarding and inspiring. This unique approach to learning work and life skills, allows the young people to achieve their potential." Tony, Mentor
73 young people achieved their bronze Arts Award
"...without having come to Future Steps I wouldn’t have dreamed I could be working, more confident in myself and be so happy." Tom
Skills gained • Planning & budgeting • Marketing yourself • Researching careers & pathways • Time-keeping • Confidence building, body language and communication skills •Leadership and management of people and resources • CV development • Managing creative content •Marketing & promotion
Listen here to the song that some of our young people wrote and performed. 6
Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
“My confidence has grown because we have met new people and I felt comfortable around them... I also have now got a decent CV and have a job.” Demi
“My confidence has got so much better because this is the first thing I have done on my own since I have had my daughter...I have managed to take big steps in life'.” Chloe
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Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
Transforming education Did you know? 75% of brain connections are established in the first 6 years of a child’s life. Yet every year, more than 200 million children worldwide under five years old fail to reach their full cognitive and social potential. As we all know, the formative years are a pivotal part of a person’s life. Future Creative is passionate about empowering early years practitioners to enable young children to be creative and critical thinkers, through training and consultancy programmes that we deliver across the country. Using our extensive early years knowledge and experience, Future Creative delivers training courses and consultancy programmes to help early years settings to maximise the learning and development opportunities they provide for the young children in their care.
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Number of counties we visited to train local practitioners. Practitioners we trained enjoyed our courses and found them useful
"Future Creative has helped me to equip children to become more confident and secure in their journey through life." (Suzzane Buck, Abracadabra Nursery, West Sussex)
Sensory Play • Involving Parents • Funded two-year-olds • Boys and Girls • Outdoor play • Creativity • Mathematics • Key Person • Observation, Assessment and Planning • Team Building • Literacy Communication and Language • Supporting Transitions • Handling Enquiries • Literacy • Child Development • Enabling Environments • Leadership and Management • Ofsted • Characteristics of Effective Learning • Challenging Conversations • Physical Development • Safeguarding • Positive Relationships • Flexigons • Foundation Stage • Unique Child • Development Matters • Quality Interactions • Brain connections • Natural resources • Self-reflection • Lifelong learning • Diversity • Embedding the EYFS • Arts • Managing behaviour • Equality • Storytelling • Physical Development • Best practice • Play • Emotional environments • Sustained shared thinking • Outdoor Matters • Family life • Continuous provision • Nature Active learning • Explorations • Learning and Development • 8
"The interactive course broadened Future Creative CIC my knowledge of the EYFS in a www.future-creative.org creative way, with thought-provoking discussion." (Abigail Wilkinson, Development Officer, Isle of Wight Council)
"Very clear and easy to follow. Lots of ideas for making better use of my outdoor space." (Cynthia Williams, Nursery manager, Little Eagles Daycare, Nottingham)
"Reinforced my opinion that children should be allowed to resolve their differences and their voices and choices should be heard!" (Linda Walton, Senior Early Years Practitioner, The Gateway Children's Centre, Bradford)
"Future Creative’s training gave me confidence to have those challenging conversations with parents." (Erica Davin, Childminder, Bracknell)
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Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
Transforming education This year, we continued to build on our legacy of generating and sustaining creative learning opportunities in primary and secondary schools.
Boosting Literacy and Maths at Bromstone Primary School, Kent
Future Creative delivers innovative creative cross-curricular learning programmes within z state education, alongside CPD and training programmes for teachers and senior managers.
Future Creative was invited to work with a targeted group of Year 6 children, with the aim of getting them engaged and exciting with core curriculum subjects.
We enable students across all ages and abilities to engage creatively with their learning environment by giving schools access to our talented team of creative practitioners and education consultants. Our involvement raises attainment, develops potential and improves educational standards in primary and secondary schools across the country.
"Our partnership with Future Creative has far exceeded our vision. The children have had a wonderful experience, and this is only phase 1!" (Elizabeth Willis, Headteacher, St Simon's RC Primary School) "An excellent experience for us...we've been given easy, accessible and practical ideas for new arts and media activities." (Sally-Ann Phillips, Teacher, Chalkhill Education Centre)
Through discussing the pupils’ interests, it was decided the focus of the project would be Manston Airport, a small airport just a few miles from their school. The children visited the airport and attached World War 2 museum, and worked with one of Future Creative’s professional film-makers to put their investigation on camera. Pupils also explored their use of literacy in meaningful ways, by working with a journalist to write and print their very own school newspaper.
"Our relationship with Future Creative is an amazing use of our pupil premium money. The school wanted to offer children something a little different which would give them something over and above what we can provide in school. Working with actual pilots and making a video and newspaper certainly fitted the bill. Children were enthused and motivated. This was reflected in very strong progress measures from their attainment in Key Stage 1. We would highly recommend the process!" (Nigel Utton, Headteacher) 10
“Some of our most reluctant boy Future Creative CIC writerswww.future-creative.org who took part arrived at school the next day with a pad and pen ready to write...this was previously unheard of! “Working with Future Creative has given our pupils the confidence to overcome previous emotional barriers which would have prevented them from engaging in task-based activities especially our weekly Big Write sessions. “The children are keen to share their ideas, and enjoy the class expanding and improving on them in guided writing. Future Creative has given these children a platform for success!” (Laura Long, Literacy Co-ordinator, Dame Janet Primary School, Kent)
During 2013, Future Creative was commissioned by Medway Council to deliver a Cyber Youth Connection crossborder project; enabling young people aged 11-19 to gain new skills and experiences. During the projects, young people are learning about French language and culture, whilst taking part in fun skill-based workshops.
“Our young people have really enjoyed the Future Creative projects. They are thoroughly engaged with the activities and are bringing their friends along. The parents think it is excellent and are really impressed with what they’ve seen.” (Angela Cox, Youth Development Worker, Medway Council)
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Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
Empowering Communities Future Creative’s track record continues as we use creative practice to encourage local outreach, inter-generational connections, and tolerance and understanding between disparate communities. We often use an exploration of an area’s history and cultural heritage as a common focal point to bring communities together.
“There is a real need for this type of engagement, which surpassed our expectations. With the help of Future Creative, we felt finally able to realise an excellent idea that has real potential to be a sustainable contribution to our service delivery.” Fishbourne Roman Palace Becoming a Social Enterprise Qualification (SEQ) mentor The SEQ is a progression ladder of UK QCF Level qualifications which accredit and and encourage anyone interested in working for positive social change. Future Creative trains teachers, lecturers, youth and community workers to become SEQ mentors, enabling them to mentor others to try out their business ideas in the real world.
Collecting stories and uncovering hidden histories in the Kings Hill community Future Creative was appointed by Kings Hill developer Liberty Property Trust UK and Futurecity to run a series of creative workshops to involve local people in the wayfinding trail for the neighbourhood. A team of Future Creative’s practitoners worked with the local community to create a series of artworks forming a wayfinding trail, linking the existing retail areas in Liberty Square. The trail features stories and poems gathered through workshops with local residents, the staff from Kings Hill businesses, veterans and school children. The wayfinding artworks highlight routes, signpost facilities and increase the area’s connectivity, adding visual features and helping navigation. - Encourage a sense of ownership and pride amongst the community of the area’s local history and narrative.
"Thank you for your visit and for creating such an enjoyable time for the children and staff!" (Mr Fowler, Year 5 teacher, Kings Hill Primary School, Kent)
The Kings Hill project has its very own website, full of poems, photos and other contributions from the community. www.kings-hill-wayfinding.org/
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Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
Inter-generational celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee in Kent Future Creative partnered with residents of AmicusHorizon in Kent and their families. We captured true stories of their memories of the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 as well as general day-to-day life in the early 1950s. We also gave young people a voice by spending time at local primary schools. The pupils wrote some highly imaginative stories to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Doris Crane (who was 27 at the time of the Coronation) shares her memories from that day:
“Times were hard for my family. I remember getting a letter from the school because her daughter was not wearing the correct blouse. She could not afford to buy the correct one. So the party was great for the community – it lifted their spirits. There was lots of singing, eating and laughing.” Sydnee, Nathan, Elli and Bethany wrote their story to portray how they would like to celebrate last year’s Diamond Jubilee:
“...We could be out in no time, and go to the bakery across the road. Ellie, Nathan and Sydnee could buy chocolate gateaux, while Beth made the marshmallows! YEY! They had the plan that might work, it was worth a try. The band had come and everything was ready. They came outside and started partying. Next, they ate and drank and had a great day!” In 2013, Future Creative was delighted to continue the legacy of community cohesion in the area, by publishing a completed book of intergenerational 13 memories for residents to keep.
Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
Exploring child development with parents in Thanet Future Creative worked with Children’s Centres in East Kent to give parents the essential skills and confidence to support their children’s learning and development. We took parents on a sensory journey, enabling them to discover different ways of helping their children to explore their world, according to the different stages of their development. Parents gained their own deeper understanding of child development, allowing them to incorporate effective activities and processes into everyday life to ensure their children grow into active and willing learners! 68% of parents showed an improvement in their child development knowledge. “Sensory Journey has taught me a lot about how my child learns and how his brain works. It’s been a real eyeopener and very enjoyable.” (Parent, Ramsgate) 65% of parents reported an increase in their children’s readiness to start school. "I am looking forward to doing lots of new activities with my daughter that I've learnt." (Parent, Margate)
Got a few minutes? Watch the full Sensory Journey story by scanning this code.
Refugee Week 2013 Future Creative is the South East hub provider for Platforma, an arts and refugee network that brings together groups and artists of any background or political status. This year, we have continued to develop and mainstream refugee related arts, by strengthen networks amongst refugee artists and creative practitioners. During Refugee Week, we provided performance opportunities to our network of artists, including a sold out event in Brighton Dome Studio Theatre. Over 200 people discovered and celebrated refugee stories and experiences within our local and (inter)national history & heritage.
Future Creative is an Arts Award training and support agency in the South East. We continue to enable adults to support the local young people to gain qualifications through the arts and community activities. In 2013, we’ve seen: 200 Arts Award advisers trained 180 young people get their Arts Award with us 85% of adults who took part in our additional support visits now feel more confident in their own delivery of the Arts Award with young people in their area.
See how we enabled museums and archives in the South East to deliver the Arts Award.
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Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
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Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
Thanks to our supporters Future Creative is delighted to work in partnership with a variety of stakeholders, from individual schools to national Government departments. Whether we are equipping a local early years workforce or raising the aspirations of young people not in education or training, we continue to deliver the best results for communities with the support of our clients across the country.
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Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
What’s next? Future Creative continues to operate as a social enterprise not-for-profit organisation. We rely on funding from a variety of stakeholders across the education, public, community and business sectors. Despite many facing challenging economic times in the education, community and public sectors, we are delighted with what Future Creative has achieved this year. Thanks to the support from various funders, we have improved the lives of thousands of children, young people and adults across the country. In 2014, we remain committed to transforming and enhancing the learning and lives of children, young people and their communities. If you are involved in education, community or public sector organisations, we are keen to hear from you to discuss how we can support you in the coming year. If have read anything that interests you and you would like to find out more about commissioning Future Creative or working in partnership with us, please get in touch: Julie Larner NCS Programme Manager julie.larner@future-creative.org Faye Rye Education & Communities Manager faye.rye@future-creative.org Gail Ryder Richardson Early Years Manager gail@future-creative.org
Maximising potential We will continue to give young people access to unique opportunities to improve confidence and life skills, through the National Citizenship Service (NCS). In Suffolk and Hertfordshire, we plan to reach hundreds more young people in 2014.
Transforming education Future Creative has plans in the pipeline to visit more areas of the country to upskill and empower the early years workforce. We are going across the Channel, bridging the language and friendship gap between groups of English and French young people. Working in partnership with Medway Council, we will be using the common influences of cuisine and technology. We are also looking forward to revealing our much-anticipated Preventing Extremism film and PSHE resource, in partnership with Redbridge Council, created by a team of young people who are learning more and more about the dangers of extremism behaviour in the capital.
Empowering communities Future Creative will be extending its reach in the coming year by working with housing organisations to bring local groups of people together and improve community life. 17
Future Creative CIC www.future-creative.org
Creative Minds Nursery Future Creative was delighted to launch Creative Minds in April 2013, our flagship early years setting, based in Deal in Kent. Creative Minds Nursery is an extension of Future Creative’s ethos in the early years, that every young child should have access to high-quality learning and development opportunities. Our children enjoy daily learning and play opportunities that are shaped around important aspects of child development, and sensory and holistic play. We know that a stimulating learning environment equips all children with experiences that will support their inquisitive minds, ensuring they have many opportunities to explore, question and reflect.
To find out more, please visit the website www.creativemindsnursery.co.uk
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