Creative writing opens up new opportunities for young people in North East England

With NOK 3.7 million in funding from the Kavli Trust, New Writing North can continue its activities and courses in creative writing for young people in neighbourhoods facing significant social challenges in North East England. The aim is to give young people the opportunity to discover and develop their talents, while also experiencing personal growth and development.

The funding supports an ambitious three-year programme offering a wide range of activities. The programme provides instruction in genres such as poetry, rap, songwriting, theatre, film production and podcasting.

– The new agreement means that New Writing North can continue to build trust and a sense of safety among young people from some of the most disadvantaged areas in Gateshead. In addition, we can expand our work and begin operating in Newcastle as well, says Anne Disley, Chief Executive of New Writing North.

The Kavli Trust owns Primula Cheese, which has its production facility in Gateshead, where products such as cheese in tubes are manufactured.

– This is where the profits of the Kavli Group are created, profits that we can distribute to good causes. We are pleased to give something back to the local community by supporting strong and important organisations such as New Writing North, says Inger Elise Iversen, Managing Director of the Kavli Trust.

Disadvantaged neighbourhoods

Anne Disley emphasises that some neighbourhoods in Gateshead and Newcastle are among the most disadvantaged in the UK. Many children and young people in these areas do not have the opportunity to take part in activities that stimulate or develop creativity.

New Writing North’s programmes are tailored to build long-term, trusting relationships between participants and staff, and provide young people with many opportunities to express themselves creatively.

Watch the film “I Welcome the Hurdles”, produced with support from the Kavli Trust, here.

The film was created by the Young Writer Programme in partnership with Gateway Studio and reflects young people’s experiences of society’s lockdown during the pandemic.

The overarching goal is to strengthen mental health and build children’s resilience through writing and other creative activities in safe environments.

Participants receive guidance in creative writing through teaching in schools or in the local community. The team that supports them consists of carefully selected freelance writers and artists who, together with the programme leaders, create continuity and a sense of care within a positive learning environment.

“We encourage participants to follow their own path in the writing process and to develop their own creative expression—whether creative writing becomes a future career path, a hobby, or a way to work with culture in their local community. Or simply because taking part in cultural activities makes them happier. We meet participants in a way that respects individual needs and take their motivation and ambitions seriously. We want to support them so they can fill their lives with culture and grow and thrive,” says Anne Disley.

She continues:

“We put people at the centre and help young people discover their creative interests and self-confidence. We want them to test their own boundaries, both practically and emotionally. Our aim is to meet their needs and strengthen their motivation.”

After an intensive introductory phase, participants who are interested are given the opportunity to continue with creative writing outside of school hours.

“We encourage participants to write about their own experiences and help them understand that cultural production is not about other people and other places. We ensure that the outcomes of the creative process are valued and showcased. This includes facilitating animations, films, publications and anthologies,” she says.

“Through our caring and supportive way of working, we can give young people new cultural experiences and show them career opportunities within the cultural sector that they otherwise would not have been introduced to. We also support those who have ambitions to start their own cultural projects in the local community.”

Since 2018, the Kavli Trust has made it possible for New Writing North to develop and launch the Young Writers programme for young writers at selected schools in Gateshead.

The new grant from the Kavli Trust makes it possible to expand the programme to include young people in public care, and to collaborate with local community organisations connected to the schools participating in the programme.

“We are pleased to continue our collaboration with New Writing North,” says Inger Elise Iversen of the Kavli Trust.

“The Kavli Trust visited Gateshead in 2020, before the pandemic, and had the pleasure of seeing many of the young artists perform. We were impressed and delighted to watch them take the stage. But what made the greatest impression was the joy, sense of community and self-confidence. It was very moving. We look forward to following even more young people on their journey through the renewed partnership with New Writing North,” says Iversen.