Arts and Crafts: Encouraging Creativity, Confidence, and Positive Engagement

The Arts and Crafts session offered young participants a positive and safe space to engage in creative activities alongside youth workers and an artist facilitator. The session aimed to encourage enjoyment, participation, and creative expression through accessible and inclusive art practices.

Participants joined the session with the expectation of having fun, connecting with an artist, and creating artwork they could take home. Throughout the activity, young people expressed enjoyment, improved mood, and sustained positive engagement. While some initial conversations highlighted concerns around limited artistic knowledge or confidence, these gradually shifted as participants began to understand that art is subjective and accessible to everyone.

With support from the artist facilitator, young people gained confidence in their ability to take part and create their own artistic pieces. As the session progressed, participants became more willing to share and display their artwork with peers, reinforcing a sense of achievement and mutual encouragement within the group.

The session also had a positive impact on youth workers involved. One supporting youth worker reported increased confidence in working with creative methodologies, particularly as they previously struggled with artistic flow and generating creative ideas. Through engagement with the activity, their confidence in using arts-based approaches improved.

Overall, the Arts and Crafts session demonstrated that creative activities can be an effective way of engaging young people, particularly those who may struggle to communicate or express emotions verbally. The session promoted positive participation, creativity, and self-expression in a relaxed and supportive environment.