As we look towards the future of Creative Youth after 2022, the conference was an opportunity for reflection and evaluation – to consider the next steps and to ensure that our provision for young people’s access to creative activities and learning is inclusive and impactful.
Our two panel discussions on 13th and 15th April featured contributions from a range of those involved in Creative Youth supported initiatives – such as the Creative Schools and Creative Clusters programmes, Music Generation, the Local Creative Youth Partnerships, Narrative 4 and Youth Theatre – and provided an invaluable insight into the impact of the Creative Youth Plan to date.
If you missed these panel discussions you can watch them back here:
Creative Youth in the Education System
Creative Youth in the Community
On Thursday 13 May, Taoiseach Micheál Martin opened the final event in “Creativity – the connection to the future, now” highlighting how the future of our society will depend on our ability to be creative and inventive, to solve problems, to work collaboratively and experimentally, and to think conceptually.
And of course, this is what Creative Youth is about – driving inspirational projects, both in and out of school, that capture the imagination of young people, that give them the confidence to be the creators of their own futures and the co-creators of their environment.
As well as contributions from diverse panels of national and international experts, the conference also heard from Minister for Education, Norma Foley, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Children, Roderic O’Gorman and Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport & Media, Catherine Martin.
Minister Martin reflected on the very clear message from the conference – that we as a society need to consider the mental health and wellbeing of young people, particularly as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. That in recognising the value of creativity to the health and wellbeing needs of all young people, we must support them to reconnect with their creative pursuits – as well as with their peers.
You can watch the conference back here:
Creativity – the connection to the future, now
Most importantly, we also wanted to hear what young people thought and felt about creativity – and how it can act as a support to them, in school, in their community and at home.
Our partners in the three Local Creative Youth Partnerships and Beech Hill College in Monaghan, brought together young people who have experienced what creativity can add to the lives and their education.
Take some time to hear these inspirational young people reflect on the importance of creativity in their home and school lives:
Listening to youth voices
