CREATIVITY WITHOUT LIMITS: CELEBRATING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH BRENT MENCAP
At Create, we believe that everyone deserves the chance to express themselves, build confidence, and feel seen. That’s the driving force behind our community:matters project with Brent Mencap. This empowers young people who have learning disabled through creative arts workshops designed to nurture connection, imagination and self-belief.
In April 2025, our professional writer Autumn Sharkey delivered three days of storytelling workshops with young people at Brent Mencap. What emerged from those sessions was not just a collection of colourful posters, poems and planets – but a galaxy of ideas, teamwork and growth.
SELF-EXPRESSION THROUGH STORYTELLING
Lola and Ian, staff members at Brent Mencap, described the vibrant creativity that unfolded over the week:
“The young people have done a lot – colouring, cutting, sticking … there’s even been poetry involved,” Lola shared, “They’ve made their own planets and each planet has their own song. They’ve put them on the solar system and created posters!”
Although the group was a mix of familiar faces and first-timers, it quickly became a united creative space.
“If you walked into that room, you wouldn’t know who was who,” Ian explained. “They’ve been reassuring and helping each other. It’s all been positive feedback.”
The result? Nine totally unique planets, each with its own identity – just like the young people who made them.
taking part in the activities helped me to clear my head after a busy day
(You can still send your works to communications@createarts.org.uk or tag us using #CreateWeek!)
CONFIDENCE FOR LIFE BEYOND THE WORKSHOP
As always with Create projects, learning was woven seamlessly into the creative process. From group collaboration to problem-solving, communication to reflection, the participants were building skills with every activity.
“These workshops are so carefully crafted and well-led that things flow, without any obvious ‘learning’ happening,” Ian shared. “But when you reflect on the young people’s skills, you realise all the learning is embedded in a whole load of fun.”
For some participants, the impact was especially powerful. Fred*, who has autism and learning disabilities, made remarkable progress in just three days.
“He went from being really uncomfortable and phased out, to taking part for a small time, to joining in the whole group with sculpture and dance. The progress he made is phenomenal.”
Ian – community partner
THE RIGHT TO BE CREATIVE
Lola put it simply: “Everybody should have the chance to be creative. Why shouldn’t disabled young people?”
Creativity, for these young people, is more than an activity – it’s a way to connect, grow and advocate for themselves.
“I’ve seen what has been achieved with these young people in giving them the confidence to participate, to create things, to stand up for themselves and fight for their rights,” she added. “And it’s just amazing.”
Ian agreed: “Humans are inherently creative beings … the higher the quality of creative input, like the [artists] that Create bring to workshops, the more of a difference it makes. They know what capacity lies in any of us – and how to reach in and pull it out.”
*Names have been changed to protect anonymity.
Thank you to John Lyon’s Charity for funding this project.
