Creative Schools publishes Youth Voice Journal

Creative Schools publishes ‘Youth Voice in Creative Schools – Reflections on Practice’
October 2024

Youth Voice in Creative Schools: Reflections on Practice is a collection of practice documenting and celebrating the work of children, Creative Associates and schools across the country, offering insights, case studies and reflections on their work elevating youth voice in the Creative Schools process. Creative Schools is particularly proud of the contribution made by participating young people to the design and visual language of the publication.

The intention of this publication is to:

• Collect, preserve and celebrate innovative practice in creative youth consultation in the Creative Schools Programme.
• Share this practice to a wider audience.
• Surface and document trends, patterns, challenges encountered to inform future training and research needs.

Creative Schools is a flagship of the Creative Youth plan – led by the Arts Council in partnership with the Departments of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media , Education & Skills and Children & Youth Affairs. Since its inception in 2018, 462 schools including primary, post primary schools, DEIS and special schools have joined the initiative.

Creative Schools aims to give our children and young people the opportunity to experience creativity as an integral part of their education placing the arts and creativity at the centre of school life. The two year programme in each school develops as a three way partnership between teachers, creative associates and children and young people and places young people’s voices at the centre of the processes.

The programme has, in the words of an independent evaluation undertaken last year, ‘… been collaborating meaningfully with learners and educators to shift the focus of arts education from child-centred to child-led creative participatory practice’.

Youth Voice in Creative Schools – Reflections on Practice is available to download here