Research:
Creativity and Excluded Young People
As part of the Leonardo’s Protégé project Ignite! investigated the range of programmes supporting the learning of young people at the margins of society.
These young people are variously described as NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training), hard to reach, disaffected, at risk of offending, the ASBO generation. Our research looked at programmes in the UK and in other countries and especially those that used the arts or creative approaches to reach and motivate 'difficult or challenging' young people.
We also wanted to investigate how other cultures approached anomalous behaviour. We found a wide variation in the ways that different countries accommodated or dealt with young people who do not conform or adhere to a conventional learning or education environment.
The research focused on the following two questions:
- Why are increasing numbers of young people switched off from learning? The question invites investigation into the role of the arts and creativity across the disciplines in re-engaging disaffected young people.
- What research exists into arts/creativity for, by and with excluded people? How can we build on existing work and provision?
The report, Eclectic Curiosity, was published in June 2007.
To download a PDF version of Eclectic Curiosity, click here.