In 2023, SPARK, Wakefield’s Local Education Partnership received funding from Bridge organisation IVE, and Wakefield Council to undertake a teacher CPD programme entitled ‘Culture on Your Doorstep.’ The programme aimed to upskill teachers and increase their confidence in creative and cultural learning. The focus was on  exploring ways to build their students’ cultural capital using local arts, culture and heritage.

Wakefield Museums and Castles is a key partner organisation within SPARK, having been involved in the LCEP  since its inception in 2016.

Castleford Academy has good links with many cultural organisations across Wakefield and the school were excited to be involved in SPARK’s Culture on Your Doorstep pilot programme. They wanted to give departments outside of performing and visual arts an opportunity to work with artists and cultural organisations to explore ways to enhance local cultural links and creativity within their curriculum.

The Challenge

The science department felt that students would benefit from more local context when learning about Ecology.  Their curriculum time is taken up with teaching the statutory knowledge and skills, meaning lesson time for new  content is limited. However, staff were keen to explore ways to add local knowledge within lessons where  possible and to build upon this work with a smaller group of students at the after school Environmental Club.

The Approach

SPARK partner Wakefield Museums and Castles was paired with Castleford Academy for the project. Department leaders met with education and curatorial staff from the museum to discuss local themes that could  be incorporated into lessons using museum resources and knowledge. Teachers were intrigued to learn about  local Victorian environmentalist Charles Waterton’s pioneering work to conserve the species on his land in the  village of Walton in Wakefield, and his campaigns against pollution and poaching. Trust partner school, Crofton  Academy, located close to Walton, were also brought on board to be involved in the teacher CPD and lesson  planning.

“We felt it was important for pupils to know that a famous, pioneering scientist lived and worked in the local  area.” (Head of Science)

Year 8 Ecology Lessons

Museum staff shared their knowledge and brought objects from the collection to Castleford inspire teachers  with ideas for how Waterton’s story and actions could be incorporated into their lessons. His story has a darker  side too – Waterton worked for 7 years on his family’s plantation in British Guinea where enslaved people were  exploited – and the schools wanted to find ways for students to understand these different aspects of  Waterton’s life and consider his legacy today.

“Our hope was that pupils would engage more with the topic of Ecology and also gain an appreciation of who  Charles Waterton was and why his work was important.” (Head of Science) 

Extra-Curricular KS3 Environmental Club

Castleford Academy’s after school KS3 Environmental Club was the ideal platform for students to explore the  topic of local ecology and sustainability further in a more creative way. SPARK funded a local artist, Jane  Howroyd, to work with lead teacher Lucy Norton to co-plan and deliver a creative, student-led project for the  weekly club. Jane guided the students to make and decorate planters made from old tyres and use them to grow  plants and create natural dyes, simultaneously upskilling Lucy in dying techniques and working with the students  in the co-planned sessions.

“I hope the students will develop a deeper understanding of sustainability and its effects on the local  environment/area.” (Jane Hoyroyd, Artist) 

“This partnership will help me to develop my collaboration and communication skills as well as establish a  legacy project for my school that can be repeated each year.” (Lucy, Teacher) 

  Obstacles and Issues

It soon became clear that the original time frame of one term for the Environmental Club project would be  insufficient. SPARK was able to help, by funding Jane to work with the school across the whole of the 2023-24  academic year. Her in-school sessions were spread throughout the year to enable her to be involved in the whole  cycle of the project – designing planters, growing and dying. Both Jane and Lucy were pleased with this outcome.

“My aim is to develop a longer-term project around natural dyes which offers legacy through allowing for  future more advanced project work after the year of the project finishes.” (Jane, Artist)

Outcomes and Outputs

Armed with knowledge and resources about Charles Waterton, and supported by the Wakefield Museums and  Castles’ curator, Castleford and Crofton teachers planned their new lessons. The schools also received loans  boxes from the museum, funded by SPARK, giving students the opportunity to discover and handle objects  related to the topic in class. The schools were pleased with how the lessons were received by the students and  hope to expand the topic further in future years.

“Y8 pupils engaged with the learning and it was made relevant to them with him being so local.. Next time I  would look to add in another 1 or 2 more lessons. This is to allow the students time to do some more research  on Charles Waterton and explore the things he did.” (Crofton Academy teacher) 

The Environmental Club project was also a very successful collaboration. Lucy and Jane worked together to plan  and deliver weekly sessions across the year and took time each half term to reflect upon the partnership and  what they had learnt from it. Both parties felt that they had gained valuable knowledge and experience from  working together in this way.

“Working together allowed us to develop and adapt the project. I think the biggest achievement for me was my  understanding of how a project can work with collaborative planning.” (Jane, Artist)

Comments from pupils during the sessions showed how proud they also were of what they had achieved:

“I’ve never done this before.” “How do I do this at home?” “Can I take my journal home to show my family  what we’ve done?” 

“Pupils engaged exceptionally well and took ownership of their work.” (Lucy)

Project legacy and future learning

In terms of the curriculum element of the project, the lack of lesson time to fully develop students’ knowledge  and understanding of both Charles Waterton and the local context, was a challenge for teachers. Teachers also  expressed hesitation in using the objects from the loans boxes with students, for fear of them being damaged.  In future, teachers would benefit from further training in using these objects to increase their confidence.

Lucy and Jane learnt a lot from each other during the extracurricular element of the project, and Lucy now feels  confident to repeat the project in future. Working with an artist has also given her many new ideas for other  projects she could work on with her pupils in future.

The post Ecology on Your Doorstep appeared first on Spark Wakefield.

Impact Case Study

Background

SPARK is Wakefield’s Cultural Local Education Partnership, made up of a group of organisations and  individuals working to ensure children and young people across the borough can enjoy, benefit from  and progress in arts and culture. The partnership is governed by a Steering Group and supported by  working groups focused on SPARK’s two main strands of activity: Creative Learning and Creative Voice.

SPARK’s Creative Learning strand aims to inspire and support educators, children and young people  to engage with the cultural and artistic landscape within the Wakefield district through place-based  learning. This approach champions a pedagogy that uses local context, resources and knowledge to  frame learning both within and outside the classroom, created in collaboration with local people.

In September 2023, SPARK was approached by Wakefield Council and asked to deliver The Wakefield  Curriculum, as part of the schools’ programme for the district’s year of culture, Our Year 2024. The  brief was to create three packs of teaching resources for primary schools focused on local arts,  heritage and culture.

The challenge

In planning and creating The Wakefield Curriculum, the challenge was to ensure that what was  produced could be easily adapted to meet the needs of our local schools. Early consultation with  headteachers emphasised that resources would need to compliment schools’ existing curricula and be  easy to adapt to the needs of their pupils.

Cultural organisations and artists across the district together hold vast collections and expertise about  the culture and heritage of the district that could be of interest to schools. Many organisations run  schools’ programmes of their own with a focus on on-site visits and workshops. Several organisations  in Wakefield have previously produced online resources for schools, using their collections and specialist subject knowledge. The challenge was to ensure the new resources would be easy for  teachers to access and enhance what is already available from cultural partners.

The approach

The key to success in this project was a collaborative approach and the involvement of teachers from  the start, to ensure that resource creation was guided by their requirements and feedback. In total,  56 different teachers engaged with SPARK during The Wakefield Curriculum project, from 45 different schools. SPARK began the project by consulting with a wide range of schools to find out the  resource types and topics that they would find most useful. An online survey, an in-person teacher  forum and visits to school headteachers were used to gather teacher input.

At a series of meetings, a small group of teachers then worked with cultural organisationsto plan and  shape the resources, before draft resources were given to teachers in September to test in their  classrooms. Schools with low levels of engagement with cultural organisations were targeted and  invited to attend meetings, with some success.

SPARK reached out to local cultural organisations and artists to ensure that a wide range of people  were involved in resource creation and that the stories told within the resources were as diverse and  representative as possible. 10 cultural organisations and 10 independent artists were involved in the  creation of resources for the project.

Pre-existing resources were mapped, and links were provided to these within The Wakefield  Curriculum where relevant. Links to further information sources were provided, as were details of  cultural organisations’ schools programmes.

Alongside The Wakefield Curriculum work, a series of teacher CPD sessions took place in 2024-25 also  as part of the Our Year Schools Programme. 7 out of 12 of these sessions linked directly to The  Wakefield Curriculum, providing teachers with further context and guidance on using the resources.

The project was co-ordinated by a dedicated freelancer who was employed by SPARK on a 0.1FTE contract. Monthly working group meetings were held for those involved. An adaptable approach was  adopted throughout the project to fit with organisations and artists’ availability and respond to  feedback and requests from teachers. There was collaboration across different cultural organisations

to produce resources that were rich in content and local knowledge and independent artists were  brought in to complete specialist tasks such as video production and illustration, and to design  creative activities as part of the resources.

The final resources were launched at the Our Year Educators Conference, held in Wakefield in December 2024. The resources are now freely available online to download from Wakefield Education  Services.

Outputs

The resources produced focus on the themes of coal mining, the local environment and sculpture.  They were developed using the collections and expertise of local organisations and are supported by contextual information and creative activity suggestions and demonstrations that can be used in the  classroom or outside in the local area. Resources include how-to videos and guides, audio files,  images and historical documents. All are provided in accessible and editable formats. The project  grew and developed as it progressed, with further resources being added to meet the needs of  teachers and showcase the culture and heritage of the district. In total we created 25 resources.

Initial feedback teachers has been very positive. In the first 15 weeks since the launch, the Wakefield  Curriculum page on Wakefield Education Services has been viewed 1481 times and there have been a  total of 1802 downloads of all documents.

• Teachers praised the range and depth of the information contained within the resources and  the access it gives them to historical archives and photographs of the local area to increase  their knowledge of the district and its heritage.
• The practical activity demonstrations and ideas are popular with teachers. The simplicity of  the activities make them easy for teachers to use in their classrooms and will appeal to their  pupils.
• Teachers can see many possibilitiesfor using the resources; both for increasing staff knowledge  through teacher CPD and by adapting the resources to use with different key stages.  • Teachers appreciate the way that resources and themes link together and are connected to  the locality, with one describing the resources as embodying, “culture from where you are.” • Resources are being used to enhance classroom teaching and build upon the learning from  cultural visits. At one school, Year 2 pupils used the sculpture video resources, together with  a visit to The Hepworth Wakefield, to develop their skills and understanding of sculpture  making and local artists.

Outcomes

Impact on schools 

Engagement with SPARK during the curriculum development process has had multiple benefits for the  teachers involved. Surveys completed by those who attended planning sessions revealed that:

• They have learnt something new about the arts, culture, history and heritage of Wakefield • The project increased teachers’ confidence in teaching about local arts and culture  • Teachers are more likely to organise a visit to a cultural venue or a cultural activity involving  artists for their pupils in the future
• The project has increased their perception of Wakefield District as a creative place • School leaders reported that the resources are useful to schools at a whole school level, in  increasing teacher knowledge and pupil engagement. The link to the National Curriculum  ensures that they are relevant for whole school use.

“[The Wakefield Curriculum] helps teachers with their subject knowledge, ensures resources used  with children are genuine, supports the National Curriculum objectives.” 

One school leader, who is the deputy headteacher at Pinderfields Hospital Pupil Referral Unit, engaged  with SPARK throughout the curriculum development project, and in September 2024 joined SPARK’s  steering group. His involvement with the process and with SPARK more widely, has had a significant  impact on his staff’s perception of culture and the arts in Wakefield. Since his involvement, pupils at  the school have had greater access to arts and cultural education and the staff are more aware of the  opportunities available to their pupils.

“Just having conversations and being involved in the curriculum and going back to the school has  already had a huge impact on staff and their perception of cultural access in Wakefield.”

The headteacher and the Art & Design curriculum lead teacher at Hendal Primary School were also  heavily involved in the Wakefield Curriculum project. For this school, working with SPARK has helped  to enhance what the school already does, adding further local relevance and links to the curriculum,  particularly within Art & Design. The school recognises the benefits of this approach for their pupils, and staff have also benefitted from making closer links with Wakefield’s cultural organisations through SPARK

“Locality is a key curriculum driver – it makes concepts easier for children to relate to; when local  topics are discussed they can make the connection – ‘I’ve seen that, I’ve been there.’” 

Impact on cultural organisations 

Working on The Wakefield Curriculum project had multiple benefits for the cultural partners involved.  It was an opportunity to work closely with teachers and deepen their understanding of their needs  and school priorities and build longer-term relationships.

“It is our priority to develop relationships with Wakefield schools – this was a good way of doing it  through consultation, and with the resources as a legacy.”  

The project enabled cultural organisations to work together and increase their knowledge of each  other’s collections. This means that they can signpost schools to each other’s work and open up wider  conversations with schools about the cultural offer in the district. Partners have also been able to share  this work with their wider networks, helping to promote their own work, and that of SPARK, to  audiences outside of the district and to raise the profile of the cultural offer in Wakefield.

The project also helped organisations to think about their collections in new ways and consider how  they can develop further school resources in the future, both individually and collaboratively. For  organisations with limited school offers, the project was an opportunity to raise their profile amongst  schools and make new connections with teachers and achieve something that would be difficult to  do on their own. For others, the project was a chance to meet their organisational targets by bringing  a different offer to schools or to put focus on an area of their offer that they are currently developing.

“It was important for the organisation to be involved, making meaningful connections through the  lens of education and learning.”  

This was the first project of this scale for SPARK as a partnership, which helped to give a purpose and  focus to SPARK’s work. The process developed over time as input from teachers, artists and other  organisations grew. This gave the project authenticity and integrity and means that the resources  created will be a lasting legacy which teachers can continue to use for years to come.

Impact on artists

Working on the Wakefield Curriculum gave artists the opportunity to share their work with others. It  provided a platform for them to increase awareness of their work with local teachers and provide  knowledge which would enhance teachers’ practice. In addition, the opportunity to work in  partnership with cultural organisations and the local council was a benefit for artists in helping to build their networks.

Artists enjoyed the process of resource creation, praising the communication and coordination  between SPARK partners and artists and the way in which the process was guided by teacher input.

“Through good communication and collaboration we were able to create something that was  extraordinary and special as a resource.” 

Lessons Learned

The amount of work generated by the Wakefield Curriculum project was a challenge at times given the  limited capacity of those involved in the project. Lessons were learnt about the nature and parameters  of collaboration and the need for clear allocations of tasks and explicit guidance around resource format at the start of the project. The iterative process of editing resources in response to feedback  from teachers was valued for making the resources higher quality, however clear timelines are needed

to ensure this does not become unmanageable.

The process of creating resources collaboratively was greatly strengthened by the work of the  freelance project co-ordinator. This role provided essential support in bringing cultural organisations  and teachers together and editing and formatting resources. It is important that this is once again built  into the budget for any future projects of this nature.

“The process was organic and changed along the way in response to what schools wanted and what  was realistic to achieve. People were willing to adapt. Having someone to coordinate and oversee it  was vital.” 

The use of freelance artists to create resources was a strength of the project, but did also create  challenges due to the organic nature of the project and difficulties in providing a clear brief to the  artist involved. This highlighted the need to ensure that there is good communication between all  stakeholders throughout the project.

The project provided valuable lessons in engaging with teachers across a long-term project. The  support of Wakefield Council wasinstrumental in helping to promote the project and raise awareness  with schools, particularly in giving access to classroom teachers through subject networks and to  school leaders. The challenge remains however in finding new ways to reach greater numbers of  teachers with this type of work.

Project Legacy

There is interest amongst teachers across the district to continue working with SPARK and driving  forward the work on place-based creative learning. Teachers would like SPARK to create more  resources of this type in the future. A small group of schools are keen to continue to work closely with  SPARK to steer their work with schools by being part of a working group alongside cultural partners.

Amongst cultural partners there is also a commitment to collaborative working as part of SPARK.  Some organisations will use the experience to re-evaluate their current school resources and see how  they can be updated, whilst others are considering how they can broaden their offer for schools using  the new relationships they have formed through this work.

For SPARK as a partnership, the project has brought many benefits. It has strengthened the relationship  with Wakefield Council and brought in new organisations such as Biffa and West Yorkshire Archive  Service who had not worked with SPARK before. The project provided a tangible output with which  SPARK can engage with schools and promote its wider work, and a methodology for working  collaboratively on future projects.

Most importantly, the project has enabled SPARK to develop strong relationships with teachers, one  of whom has now joined the SPARK steering group. These teachers’ commitment to SPARK’s work will  ensure that SPARK is able to continue build on its work with schools and work towards achieving its  aim of ensuring that children and young people across the district can enjoy, benefit from and progress  in arts and culture.

The post SPARK Wakefield The Wakefield Curriculum appeared first on Spark Wakefield.

Background

Stanley Royd Hospital, a mental health facility known from 1818 to 1948 as the West Riding Pauper  Lunatic Asylum, is an important part of Wakefield’s heritage. The hospital closed in 1995 and has since  been redeveloped into residential flats. Artefacts from the site, and stories of its former residents are  now held by The Mental Health Museum, situated nearby at Fieldhead Hospital in Wakefield.

The hospital site and the museum collections were of great interest to SPARK’s Youth Arts  Ambassadors, who were eager to uncover individual stories of its patients and explore the parallels  between the treatment of mental health today and in the past. The young people aimed to find ways  to tell these stories creatively, and ‘wanted people to care about mental health’ by connecting with

previously untold stories to bring to life the long and complex history of mental health. As a small  museum with limited staff capacity, the Mental Health Museum was eager to engage with young  people to uncover new stories and increase the relevance of its curation to a new audience. Working  in partnership through SPARK provided this opportunity.

“I was drawn to this project because of my deep interest in mental health, particularly how it’s  understood and supported within society. As someone who works closely with children with  additional needs, I wanted to explore creative ways to raise awareness and challenge stigma.” (YAA) 

The Approach

Following an introductory tour of the Stanley Royd site by staff from the Mental Health Museum, the  Youth Arts Ambassadors worked together with the museum and SPARK partners, Yew Tree Arts, Yew  Tree Youth Theatre and Empath Theatre to write a funding bid to Wakefield Council. The ideas and  direction of the project came from the young people, with SPARK’s Youth Voice coordinator there to guide and facilitate when necessary.

The project had two primary strands – a research element, during which the young people worked with museum staff and volunteer historians from Empath Theatre to research stories related to the  hospital site; and a creative element, developing story-telling skills to create, produce and perform  artistic work using the research that was uncovered, and share this with a wider audience.

In order to develop the necessary skills and create the desired outputs, the young people attended a  series of 22 half-day workshops between October 2024 and January 2025, focused on research, story telling and creative practice, including script writing and performance. Sessions were delivered and  supported by creatives including researchers, drama practitioners and a citizen journalist.

Outputs

Working together, the 22 participants, with the support of six creatives and three volunteers, created  seven pieces of theatre and an exhibition of visual artwork. These were presented to audiences at Westgate Studios as part of Art Walk Wakefield on 29th January 2025 and at Treacey Hall, Wakefield  Cathedral on 31st January.

The performances were well-received by a total audience of 60 over the three shows. Sharing their  work with an audience was the highlight of the project for many of those involved.

“The response of the audience to the young people’s performances was a highlight for me.” (Project coordinator)

“I’m most proud of how we balanced historical facts with creative expression to provoke thought and  empathy in the audience.” (YAA) 

Outcomes

Impact on Young People 

In addition to the enjoyment gained from creating and performing their work, the project brought  many longer-term benefits to the young people involved. Firstly, they developed a range of skills in both historical research and creative practices such as playwriting, direction and performance. For  some this involved delving into an area of artistic practice that they had never done before, which  brought a degree of challenge but also a sense of achievement and new-found confidence in their abilities.

“Having never written or directed a play before, being able to have the opportunity to try something  like that was incredibly valuable. Personally, I didn’t think it was something I could ever do, but  learning more about the process, working with my wonderful actors, and seeing it all come together  for the performances was immensely gratifying. It has definitely encouraged me to try more creative  projects in the future.” (YAA) 

On a personal level, those involved deepened their understanding of mental health and its history and their empathy towards those impacted both in the present and past. Additionally, the project  helped the young people to build new relationships and connections with others, bringing a sense of  belonging and purpose.

“We found in this project a sort of identification with a history and a heritage that was both very real  and very personal. That is partly from the research, but also from the process of creating something  informed by that research.” (YAA) 

There was an inter-generational element to the project too, as the young people worked with Empath  Action’s researchers, who mentored the young people and guided them in developing historical  research skills.

“The project helped me feel more connected to others with similar values and interests. It created a  sense of belonging and purpose within a supportive, creative community.” (YAA) 

Organisational Impact

Humanising Mental Health helped to further the SPARK Youth Arts Ambassadors’ overall ambition of  making Wakefield’s creative and cultural offer more relevant and accessible to young people.  Through the project, SPARK developed a strong relationship with the Mental Health Museum, helping  their collection to reach a new audience of Wakefield’s young people.

The project also grew the range of work and the diversity of SPARK’s Youth Arts Ambassador board.  This size of the project was a step up for the group, whose previous projects since their inception in  summer 2023, have focused more on the organisation and production of events, rather than the co creation of their own artistic work. During the project the ten Youth Arts Ambassadors worked with  twelve other young people, and as a result two of these young people have now joined the group on  a permanent basis. This has broadened the diversity of the group and the range of interests of its  members.

Through this project, the Youth Arts Ambassadors also reached a wider public audience and raised  the profile of SPARK’s Youth Voice strand. The group established a relationship with Wakefield Art  Walk and performances were well attended by SPARK Steering Group members from organisations  including Wakefield College, The National Coal Mining Museum, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Wakefield Museums and Castles.

Another important outcome of the project was the development of new relationships and partnerships  between individuals from cultural organisations in Wakefield district with common aims and  ambitions. Both Empath Theatre and the Mental Health Museum are organisations that worked with  SPARK for the first time during this project. Working with other like-minded practitioners to develop  young people’s skills and provide new opportunities for them, was a highlight for the project co ordinator, who felt that this also helped to grow her own creative practice.

“A key element of the benefits for me in developing practice was the partnership with Empath Action  and other practitioners involved. In creating work together in true partnership, the rewards were  significant.” (Project Coordinator) 

For SPARK as a partnership, the project also brought conversations about its strategic aims to the  forefront, showing the importance of working on collaborative projects in order to secure funding, but  also raising the question of how this can be sustained on a longer-term basis without core funding to  finance the project coordinator role.

Lessons Learned

With a limited budget for hiring performance venues, challenges arose during this project when initial  plans to perform the work at the Stanley Royd site and within the Mental Health Museum were  unsuccessful. New venues were found, thanks to the resourcefulness of the project coordinator and  the ability to draw on connections made through the SPARK partnership, showing the importance of  careful planning.

This project also highlighted the challenges faced when working on a project with multiple elements,  a sensitive subject matter and a group of young people with a variety of needs. A range of  opportunities had to be offered to ensure the project was as inclusive as possible for those wanting to  engage. The funding enabled six creatives to work with the young people, offering consistent support and opportunities to nurture their creativity and talent. The reward was an inclusive and meaningful

project that allowed young people to develop a wealth of new skills.

“It was emotionally challenging to engage with the difficult history of mental health treatment…. I  coped by sharing feelings within the group and channelling the emotion into my writing and  performance. Balancing work commitments was another challenge, but I stayed organised and  motivated because the project felt so meaningful.” (YAA) 

Project Legacy

The connections formed between individuals and organisations involved in Humanising Mental Health are already resulting in further collaborative creative and cultural projects involving young people.  Empath Theatre was able to secure funding from Live Well to extend the project and involve further  participants, which will result in additional research and a new performance of work in October 2025.  This is allowing young people to build on the skills learnt during the first part of the project and find  ways to fulfil their artistic ambitions.

“The foundations built in the Culture Grant funded phase of Humanising Mental Health both in terms  of the investment in Wakefield District practitioners and young people and the artwork produced are  going to have the opportunity to expand and develop significantly.” Project coordinator) 

Some of the Youth Arts Ambassadors also have the opportunity to be involved in a new project with  Empath Theatre later in 2025, developing creative work around the heritage of mining sites in the  Wakefield district, with a focus on those that have been reclaimed as nature reserves.

The post Humanising Mental Health appeared first on Spark Wakefield.

Throughout 2023 this strand of SPARK’s work has been led by Sarah Osborne, the Creative Voice Co-ordinator. It responds to the perceived lack of relevance and accessibility of arts and culture for young people in Wakefield. As a result, it aims to centre youth voice in the continued development, design and delivery of arts and cultural opportunities for young people across Wakefield. Additionally, it seeks to optimise and promote participation in the current  arts and cultural opportunities.

Ultimately, SPARK hopes to empower young people to play a part in shaping the cultural and artistic landscape of their district. The ambition of this strand lies not just in bridging the gap between young people and cultural organisations, but creating an environment through which the voice, ideas, aspirations and skills of young people can directly inform decisions that affect them and their peers.

From the outset SPARK’s Creative Voice has had young people at the centre. However, in order to make things happen a group of invested and committed professionals within the Wakefield District had to invest significant groundwork to open the doors and create the foundations for success.  In 2021 a youth voice working group was created by representatives from SPARK partners.  The aim of the group was to establish the need for youth voice to be central to the arts and cultural landscape of the district and to explore ways of making this happen.  For the first 18 months, until funding was secured, this group was co-ordinated on a voluntary basis and regular meetings were held as funding applications were submitted. It was members of this group – many of whom are active members of the working group at the time of writing – that were responsible for securing  funding and subsequently have underpinned the progress in making the voice of young people heard.

Once funding was in place and the Creative Voice co-ordinator was appointed, the working group built in strength and productivity.  A key role was supporting and signposting the co-ordinator to organisations working with young people.  The Creative Voice Co-ordinator travelled across the district meeting with these organisations, having conversations about the SPARK vision for youth voice.  Important learning about the views of young people and those that support them was gathered in these conversations.  This learning allowed SPARK to reach a diverse range of people and ensure the Youth Arts Ambassador Panel was representative of young people living in the Wakefield District.  It also allowed valuable insight into how young people would need to be supported as part of SPARK.

Arts Ambassadors

At the centre of the Youth Voice strand are SPARK’s Arts Ambassadors, a panel currently comprising of eight young people aged 16-24, from Wakefield. They are based across the local area in Ossett, Horbury, Wrenthorpe, Pontefract, Hemsworth and Upton. This group of local young people aims to centre the voice and experience of young people in conversations about how Wakefield cultural organisations can more effectively tailor their youth provision.

Up to now, the panel have worked with organisations including Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the National Coal Mining Museum and Wakefield Museums, to help review and improve their engagement with young people and identify gaps in provision.

Founded in 2023, the Arts Ambassadors evolved from many meetings with professionals and young people from a wide range of organisations that support young people across the Wakefield District and initial, exploratory workshops with students at Wakefield College, which helped to shape its purposes and role. The current ambassadors formulated a manifesto to guide their work moving forward, with core values including honesty and directness, inclusivity and pride in Wakefield and its culture.

In July and August 2023, the Arts Ambassadors attended a series of tailored skills development workshops which aimed to equip them with the knowledge and confidence to get the most out of their role. Workshops explored the current cultural and artistic landscape of the Wakefield District, including programming for children and young people, the links between culture, creativity and wellbeing, and included a session on CV building.

Working with SPARK has had a very positive impact on the Arts Ambassadors. One ambassador highlighted how rewarding their work was, especially when “seeing changes, seeing you’ve made a difference”. They also remarked on the confidence they had built through their work with the panel, expressing opinions and feeling that these were valued and acted upon by cultural organisations. For some  Arts Ambassadors, there were also benefits to their own mental health, having “something to get out and be involved” with.

“Being an ambassador for me is something that’s motivating me to keep going to be honest; it’s the only time I’m out of the house besides going to the hospital and it helps me forget about my own issues and put the youth arts community first.” (Arts Ambassador)

LitFest 2023 

LitFest, an annual, youth-led literature festival established in 2020, aims “to provide a creative outlet for young people that puts them in control”. LitFest returned in 2023 with a festival of new plays, created by and for young people aged 14-25, with support from industry professionals. The event featured 40 young people across all areas of production, including in writing, directing, acting and technical roles. In addition, a Programme Board of six young people, all with an interest in creativity and literature, took the lead on producing and co-ordinating the project, supported by Sarah as the Creative Voice Co-ordinator. Over 100 audience members attended the festival.

“It’s clear this is an event that considers youth at every step of the way… It was a huge step in the right direction for pushing youth involvement in arts in Wakefield whilst providing a lovely time for all” (Arts Ambassador)

The process began in April 2023, with application selection followed by planning meetings and workshops with dramaturgs to guide the development of the plays. Playwrights and directors were matched following an informal gathering during which writers shared more about what they had created with directors, including the inspiration and intention behind their plays. During this meeting, there were opportunities for both 1-1 and larger group discussion as directors gained ideas and insights into how they might bring different pieces to life.

Plays explored a variety of topics and themes, including class, pressures on young people growing up, historical drama set against the backdrop of the Berlin Wall, friendship, grief and struggles with generational trauma. They entered rehearsal in August ahead of the festival, which ran at The Mechanics Theatre, Wakefield College, from 10am-6pm on 16 September 2023. An anthology was subsequently published, showcasing the eight plays, and a film was created documenting highlights of the festival.

LitFest saw partnerships forged with organisations including Wakefield Theatre Royal, Wakefield College, Wakefield Libraries, The Hepworth, Yew Tree Youth Theatre, Hatch, Long Division, Wakefield Museums and Wakefield District Housing (WDH), each of whom provided the writers with a creative prompt inspiring their play.

Feedback from LitFest participants praised the positive, fun experience they had during the project.  Many young people expressed how much their confidence had grown and how much they valued that the festival provided the opportunity to “meet new people” and interact with like-minded people. Additionally, young people appreciated seeing themselves portrayed on stage and considered the plays to be relevant.

“From my experiences with the older generation writing younger characters, the personalities and relationships can seem stiff or unrealistic. It was refreshing to see young people write about their own personal problems and challenges, or of those of people around them.” (Arts Ambassador)

One young person, who had a wide-ranging involvement as Programme Board member, writer, director and actor, felt that LitFest fills an important gap in arts and cultural provision for young adults aged 20-25 in the local area. They noted that once one left school or university, networks of connections and opportunities often disappears, leaving young adults feeling unrooted.

“It’s hard sometimes not to feel that the expectation of a young adult is ‘Your education is over, and so are your opportunities’. Opportunities such as this are manna from heaven, and at the very least, make the future seem a little brighter” (Young Director, LitFest 2023)

Participants also widely felt that the “trust”, “creative freedom” and autonomy they had during LitFest gave them greater belief in themselves and their skills, ideas and career potential. Some have been inspired to seek similar opportunities elsewhere, or pursue creative pathways such as directing and writing professionally. One young writer found it “enormously gratifying to see my own work performed”.

“It was great to be involved in a project that gave this opportunity to young creatives in the North as many, many more like these are needed” (Young Writer, LitFest 2023)

Conclusion

Moving forward, SPARK’s Arts Ambassadors have more exciting projects in the pipeline. For February 2024, they are helping to plan a takeover day together with Wakefield Museum. They also nurture ambitions to host a youth-led arts festival in Autumn 2024, championing the work of SPARK’s partner organisations and celebrating the power of youth voice to revitalise arts and culture in Wakefield.

The post SPARK Case Study: Youth Voice appeared first on Spark Wakefield.

The initiative also included four pilot projects in primary and secondary schools, connecting teachers with local artists. Projects like “Wonder Women” and “A Walk in the Woods” creatively explored local culture and heritage, improving students’ research skills and engagement. Positive outcomes included improved awareness of local resources, increased teacher confidence, and enhanced student autonomy. The program inspired collaborative teaching approaches, fostered crucial links between schools and cultural organisations, and encouraged the integration of creativity into the curriculum. The legacy includes ongoing community projects, increased teacher readiness for similar initiatives, and the sharing of resource packs among Wakefield schools. Overall, Culture On Your Doorstep successfully promoted a sense of place, curiosity, and cultural relevance in education.

Background

In 2023 SPARK’s programme strand “Creative Paths” was delivered through the Culture On Your Doorstep programme. Culture On Your Doorstep is a schools-based initiative, led throughout the year by programme coordinator Kate Fraser. The programme aims to equip teachers with the knowledge, understanding and confidence to develop a place-based curriculum, improving their students’ cultural capital and sense of connection to local culture and heritage. The programme’s emphasis on place-based curricula is rooted in a commitment to share localised knowledge and encourage children and young people in Wakefield to learn about and take pride in their city. The programme was funded through Partnership Investment from IVE and match funding from Wakefield Council.

Culture On Your Doorstep is a collaborative programme connecting schools and teachers with local artists and cultural organisations – the hope is to build relationships and resources which can have a legacy beyond the programme. The programme consisted of four CPD sessions for teachers, together with four pilot projects in schools, each of which facilitated collaborations between artists and teachers.

CPD Sessions

Four CPD sessions were offered as part of the programme, which took place between March and November 2023. These sessions explored creative learning pedagogy, cultural capital theory and the possibilities of collaboration, aiming to equip teachers with practical ideas for creative and locally based activities, as well as broaden their awareness of the opportunities available locally. The sessions were targeted at teachers from EYFS through to KS3 and were programmed as follows:

• People and Place: Making Learning Matter – This session explored the potential of place-based narratives and local context to support cross-curricular learning.
• Cultural Capital: From the Doorstep to Your Classroom – This session focused on how teachers can embed cultural capital in their practice, making it relevant, valuable and inclusive for pupils
• Teaching Herstory: Bringing forgotten stories of Wakefield women to life in your primary curriculum – This session focused specifically on how local historical figures might be used to support the teaching of key historical concepts.
• Creative Collaborations: The benefits of working with artists for children, teachers and your school – This session explored the possibilities and practicalities of working with Wakefield artists on a range of scales and budgets.

The sessions reached 45 attendees across at 13 Wakefield schools. Feedback was very positive across the board, with sessions described as “inspiring”, “entertaining” and “engaging”. Teachers who attended felt that they had gained new ideas for the classroom, been inspired to explore creative, place-based curricula further, as well as engage more with Wakefield’s cultural organisations. They also expressed a keenness to share learnings from the CPD sessions more widely with colleagues and within their professional network.

“Great CPD for staff – presenters were knowledgeable and engaging; great ideas to use in school” (Teacher feedback)

Teachers found the sessions useful in terms of discovering new ways to engage their pupils, such as creating narratives to bring people and places to life. Lots of attendees commented that the sessions had reminded them of the power of immersive storytelling and talk in the classroom, “getting children to be loud and discuss and debate”.

In particular, teachers learned the importance of finding more links to the local area and making the curriculum relevant and relatable by “using more of the children’s own culture and the world around them”. Overall, feedback reflected a commitment among teachers to “use locality as a creative pathway”, exploring active links with Wakefield’s culture and history to “engage and excite learning” in children and young people. Teachers also learned the benefits of encouraging children to be “proud of where you’re from, curious about the world”.

Another positive outcome of the CPD sessions was improved awareness of local resources and opportunities, as well as knowledge on how to “link them to the curriculum map” in an effective way.

“It’s about making the curriculum real to kids” (Teacher feedback)

Pilot Projects

Four pilot projects took place between May and December 2023 in two primary schools and two secondary schools. Projects connected teachers with artists who have close links to SPARK’s cultural partner organisations. They collaborated to develop and deliver a creative, place-based initiative for students, using local culture and heritage as a starting point to explore a National Curriculum topic. They also worked to create teaching and learning resources to be shared across Wakefield schools. Below is a summary of all four projects:

• Wonder Women

27 Year 2 pupils from Mackie Hill Junior and Infant School, and class teacher Lauren worked with Sarah Cobham, a freelance artist and founder of the Forgotten Women of Wakefield project. The project was supported by Wakefield Libraries. Pupils explored the lives of four Wakefield women, developing their historical research skills by engaging with a variety of primary sources, and producing a range of creative responses including badges, plaques, drama, music and creative writing, as well as their own journals. The project concluded with a showcase of the children’s work for parents.

• A Walk in the Woods: How can the local environment spark our creativity?

45 Year 2 pupils from Lee Brigg Infant School, headteacher Laurabeth Kilkenny and class teachers Hattie and Alex worked with multi-disciplinary artist Sarah Jane Palmer. The project was supported by Yorkshire Sculpture Park and The Hepworth Wakefield. It aimed to connect the art and design curriculum with explorations of the local area and environment. Across five sessions, children developed an art trail of nearby woodland, inspired by the flowers and wildlife they found there.

• Ecology on Your Doorstep

This project involved 470 Year 8 students across Castleford and Crofton Academies. As part of the project, CPD was delivered to the Heads of KS3 Science at both schools by the curatorial and learning team at Wakefield Museums and Castles – this supported the planning and delivery of a Year 8 scheme of work concerning local naturalist Charles Waterton. Separately, freelance artist Jane Hoyrord is working with Castleford’s KS3 environmental club on a year-long creative project exploring local food chains and ecosystems to make recycled planters decorated with locally relevant images and messages about ecology and sustainability, and grow native plants from which they will make natural dyes.

• “What do we know about Lagentium?”

A new project at Castleford Academy worked with 260 Year 9 students whose usual Language and Literature curriculum incorporates learning Latin with learning about Roman Castleford. Freelance writer Beccy Dye is working with lead teacher Melissa to make this unit of work more creative and interactive, by integrating elements of drama, role play and storytelling. Wakefield Museums and Castles are also supporting this work by providing historical insights through objects, maps and stories from Roman Castleford.

Feedback shows that the Culture On Your Doorstep programme has “inspired a more collaborative approach” to teaching and learning across schools. It has also fostered vital links between schools, local artists and cultural organisations. Working collaboratively to bring the projects to life gave teachers hugely valuable insights and practical experience, helping them to “upskill” and feel confident to design and deliver similar projects in future.

“This project has enriched the lives of our children who took part in it. They were constantly discussing what they had learnt each week with other teachers around school and their parents at the end of the day” (Teacher feedback, Mackie Hill)

Teachers and artists alike felt that the programme helped “celebrate” and champion the cause of culture and creativity in education, reinforcing the importance of “normalising creativity in the curriculum”. The opportunity to engage creatively helped encourage children to develop autonomy and a “sense of ownership in their learning”, especially as “their ideas were listened to, implemented and valued”. It was also seen as a positive moment for children with additional needs to engage and express themselves in different, creative ways. In the case of the woodland arts project, children also “reaped the mental health benefits” of being outdoors and connecting with their local area.

“The creative activities are the highlight of each session. The multi- sensory experiences have been particularly rewarding and provided deep learning… There is an increase in the emotional intelligence of children as they begin to explore what culture is and how an important cultural idea, action and consequence can change things.” (Sarah Cobham, Wonder Women project)

Across the projects, children were visibly “excited” to engage each week, and teachers felt that Culture On Your Doorstep sparked a “curiosity which will stay with them”. They also learned a lot about their local area’s heritage and culture, and this “gave them a huge sense of place” making the curriculum feel relevant to their lives.

“The students enjoyed learning about a local figure who started lots of different methods of observing wildlife. They enjoyed his diary entries and discussing the differences between how Waterton spoke compared to how we speak now. The students liked the fact we were learning about ecology but making the links to a particular person and his story.” (Teacher feedback, Castleford Academy Trust)

As a result of their involvement with Culture On Your Doorstep, Lee Brigg School has been inspired to develop a new annual community project, which will forge further links between the curriculum and the local area, continuing a commitment to place-based teaching and learning. The resources developed are an important legacy for the programme, as teachers feel equipped to run similar projects again, and resource packs are being shared more widely with other schools in Wakefield.

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