About Creative Sparks
Ignite! Creative Sparks are young people who possess exceptional creativity; could you spot the next Technology Woman of the Future? Or the young scientist of the year?
The new cohort of Creative Sparks are aged between 14 and 21 and live, work or study in the East Midlands region. They will receive support to follow a programme of personal creative development, including travel and residential creativity labs; in return we expect them to become role models and ambassadors to their peers.
We are looking for 15 exceptional individuals to join Ignite! Creative Sparks and are calling for nominations.
What do we look for in a Creative Spark?
Below are some tips and commonly asked questions to help in identifying a potential Creative Spark. What sort of young person are we looking for?
- Aged between 14 and 21
- And who lives or studies in the East Midlands
- Demonstrates exceptional creativity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths that would enable them to act as a role model for their peers
What do we mean by “exceptional creativity”?
We are looking for young people that have:
- highly developed imaginative thinking skills
- the ability to see things in new ways, to recognise patterns and make connections across discipline
- the drive to persevere with their interest and the challenges it presents
- the compulsion to revise and reflect on their original ideas
- strong knowledge about whatever field that are working in and interest in exploring others
- enjoy solving problems, showing remarkable ability in approaching them from new angles or perspective
- show their capabilities in the “5 Rs” - Resilience, Resourcefulness, Reflection, Relationship and Risk taking
Meet our Creative Sparks
Some of our Creative Sparks joined Ignite! in 2005 and their stories can be found here. Read more..
Many of the Creative Sparks have offered to mentor our new Sparks from the East Midlands.
Meet Jane Aston, our first Ignition* Creative Spark.
Jane is an exceptional and highly creative student of maths as well as a talented film maker. Jane comes from Anstey in Leicestershire and has recently taken up a place at Cambridge to study mathematics. She came to the attention of Ignition* through the Planet Sci-Cast awards in 2008 when she won best film.
Her mentor, Jonathan Sanderson rates her as a talent to watch out for the future, and her Ignition* Creative Sparks award will enable Jane to develop her interests in film and maths through a programme of personal creative development.
Nomination – next steps
Creative Sparks come to our attention through nomination. If you are an organisation that works with young people who live, study or work in the East Midlands, and who are aged between 14 and 21, we'd like to talk to you about the possibility of nominating a Creative Spark.
We have 15 awards to offer in the region over the next two years, so the person you suggest will be truly exceptional (and not simply a high flier or gifted and talented individual).
Download the flashcard and nomination form below, or alternatively contact theontact the Ignition* team to learn more and how you can get involved in offering a young person an amazing opportunity.
