Promoting creativity in learning:
How Ignite! Works
We believe that creativity is a powerful tool for making society. What kind of society is driven by creativity?
• A more confident, economically and culturally vibrant and creative society;
• Where creativity is valued and held in high esteem;
• Where young people live happy, fulfilled, interesting and interested lives;
• Where young people are confident and able to express their creativity;
• And develop ideas that are respected and valued.
How do we work?
We work directly with young people, through workshops and residential creativity labs to help them discover their creative spark and to ignite it. We use a range of programme activities to set challenges, encourage creative thinking, develop problem solving approaches, discover the value of learning through trial and error, taking risks, reflecting.
We sometimes focus on particular areas of the curriculum such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths to work with scientists, creative practitioners and teachers to develop more creative approaches to the way young people learn about the subject and apply their knowledge in new ways.
We work with other partners to develop projects that might become models of best practice in supporting the creative abilities of young people.
We can offer workshops on creativity, for young people or teachers, or other professionals interested in developing creativity in their workplace. We are interested in collaborations for research and specific programmes.
Ignite!'s Aims
Young people
Our aim is to develop personally rewarding creative experiences for and with young people that are shaped by the needs, aspirations and interests of young people.
Creativity
Our aim is to seek out ways to develop our understanding of creativity and creative thinking; and how people discover, reveal, encounter, enhance and fulfill their creative potential.
Learning
Our aim is to develop a pedagogy to inform practice which responds to individual creative learning needs and aspirations.
Sharing and extending the practice
Our aim is to diversify the impact and disseminate the lessons learned from working with young people into other contexts
Ignite!’s Objectives
Research
1. Conduct action centred research into our key areas of focus – creativity, young people and learning
2. Test assumptions and hypotheses about creativity, learning and young people
3. Undertake systemic research into the components of creativity and the factors that influence its growth
4. To build a body of knowledge, experience and expertise that is capable of being shared and applied by other people
Practice
5. Develop and deliver strategic high quality creative project work with young people
6. Develop and deliver specifically designed creative training courses to adults working with young people
7. Recognise, promote and celebrate young people’s creative achievements
8. Work in partnership with a range of organisations to develop and deliver strategic interventions for the creative development of young people
9. Extend our practice into other environments and with other people
Advocacy
10. Raise the profile of and campaign for strategic shifts of policy regarding the role and significance of creativity in education
11. Provide comprehensive high quality advice and consultancy for organisations and professionals involved in creativity and education
12. Disseminate the lessons and case study achievements of our work with young people through conferences, seminars, high quality publications and web based resources