All Lit Up

The project has brought writing and storytelling workshops to young people who might otherwise not have the opportunity to explore their creativity. We have deliberately focused on working with ’hard to reach’ youngsters: for example those with caring responsibilities or who have been excluded from mainstream education. By giving the young people a chance to work with a professional writer, who has the ability to show them that poetry can be relevant, powerful and something they can do to, we give them a chance to express themselves creatively.

An important aspect of our approach is that we aim to give the young people a chance to try a range of different ways of using words so, for example, they might have a session with Leon Charles on rap poetry then a storytelling session with Cat Weatherill. Then it is for the young people themselves to decide if they want to take the work further. Apart from giving them a say in what they do and with whom, it also produces a greater commitment on their to part because they have actively chosen to participate. Our aim then is to work with them over a sustained period and build towards a tangible outcome, for example a performance of a sketch they have written or the production of a CD of rap poetry. This allows the participants to develop in confidence and skill and have something which they can show to family and friends as proof of their commitment and ability.

Another important aim of the project has been to identify and nurture talent. Wherever we have found someone with particular ability and enthusiasm for writing, we have endeavoured to support their development. So far three young people we have worked with have gone on to become members of their local writing squads. This means they have the opportunity to meet regularly with professional writers on a long–term basis and develop their work to a very high standard.