Partners in Creative Learning Creativity Collaboration Change
PiCL believes creativity is crucial because it switches on the imagination, allowing us to see the potential in ourselves and others. Creativity is the key to making meaning and finding connections in an ever-changing world, so now more than ever, our young people need to fulfil their creative potential, liberate their skills and supercharge their confidence. That’s why we do what we do – nurture creativity through collaboration to realise change.
PiCL is an independent charity which specialises in making creative projects happen, bringing together young people, adults who work with them and partners from the creative sector. Our roots are in the Creative Partnerships programme, delivering the flagship creative learning programme across Stoke and Staffordshire since 2005. Over that time we have worked with almost 10,000 children and young people aged 3 – 16 in 140 schools, over 500 teachers and over 150 creative partners.
PiCL is a team of passionate professionals who believe in:
Creativity – ‘the process of having original ideas that are of value’. Sir Ken Robinson
Creative people come up with new ideas, make new connections, take risks in finding solutions, are curious, motivated and switched on. They have the imagination to know what it feels like to walk in the other person’s shoes. They may paint or dance or make music or write, or they may not, but they are driven to communicate what they learn.
Collaboration – ‘it’s in the collision of different ideas that people become more optimistic thinkers’.
Stephen Johnson
Through making space for everyone to contribute to the process we can build networks of people who share the same vision and are committed to working together to get things done. It takes care and expertise to create the right conditions for creative relationships to flourish, and that’s our goal wherever we work.
Creativity isn’t just about making things. It’s about being someone and expressing yourself. Year7 Pupil
Doing things differently, looking at problems from a new angle, asking unexpected questions can generate energy and exciting solutions.
We believe real change is possible and want to work with you to make it happen.
In everything we do we seek to nurture these qualities.
PiCL helps people and organisations to make real change based on powerful creative experiences.
We bring our skills, experience and networks and work with partners who are open to the prospect of doing things differently and leaders who are interested in real change.
We help you work out what you really need to achieve; find the right creative partner to work with; plan some rigorous and exciting activity; reflect together on what you’ve learnt; and work out what difference this will make to what you do.
Our experience has taught us that this way works
Ofsted says so too
• Makes young people show up more (absenteeism is reduced by 25% in Creative Partnerships Primary schools).
• Helps them to do better when they are there (Creative Partnerships schools improve their GCSE results faster, on average with 2.5 grades better progress ).
• Encourages them to be more engaged (92% of headteachers feel the programme has improved students’ confidence, motivation and communication skills ).
• Increases the number of parents who get involved
• Helps to build team work, communication and empathy and is a powerful tool for development for teachers and leaders.
•Supports real shifts in ethos, culture and aspirations in schools and other organisations.
And it’s value for money – PriceWaterhouseCoopers say that for every £1 invested Creative Partnerships delivered £15.30 of benefits to the national economy.
