Empowering C Change Conference that has helped over 4000 young people returns 

The C Change conference is returning to the Floral Pavilion Theatre in New Brighton, Wirral, on Tuesday, 1 October. 

The conference will explore ‘The Power of Partnership – Journeys in Creativity’. Across the day, attendees will hear from three keynote speakers, attend bespoke workshops and experience a panel discussion with leaders from across the region. 

Part of the national Creativity Collaboratives research programme, C Change is the only North West collaborator, proudly formed by Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust and based in St Bernard’s RC Primary and Nursery School. 

Alongside seven other Creativity Collaboratives, C Change works to push the boundaries of teaching innovation, focusing on creativity and system-wide change. 

Since 2021, C Change has established a strong community and spearheaded fostering a culture of enquiry, innovation and exploration. Through harnessing the power of creativity, it is helping transform educational experiences for young people and their schools and communities. 

C Change has supported 11 schools, 312 teachers and over 4,300 students, helping increase their understanding of creativity, promoting collaborative working, and encouraging curiosity.  

The first keynote speech will be delivered by founder of the Global Education Leaders Partnership and author of Thrive: The Purpose of Schools in a Changing World, Valerie Hannon. Valerie is a global thought leader, inspiring systems to re-think what success will mean in the 21^st century and the implications of education. 

Joining Valerie is an esteemed professor of learning and director of the Centre for Real-World Learning, Bill Lucas. As chair of the Global Institute of Creative Thinking, Bill is a strong passionate advocate for creativity and championing improvement in teaching and learning. 

The closing keynote speech will come from Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England. Since joining the council in 2015, Darren has championed the positive impact of public investment in artists, art organisations, museums and libraries on creating happier lives in towns and cities across England.    

The afternoon is a chance for attendees to participate in the ‘Possibilities in Partnership’ workshops. Facilitated by organisations across the country, the workshops will explore creative approaches to partnership. 

Some of the organisations include Comino Foundation, Big Education, Curious Minds, Creativity, Culture & Education, Theatre Porto and Hi-Impact.

At the ‘Creativity on the Couch’ session, leaders from across the region will discuss the importance of creative partnerships to improve the lives of young people. 

Emily Reid, C Change project lead, commented: “It is incredible that we can host events such as these and continue to explore different ideas and approaches in a creative and collaborative space.”

CEO of Holy Family Multi Academy Trust, Andy Moor, said: “We are delighted to host our third C Change Conference as we continue to champion creativity and collaboration. 

“Creativity is an important part of life, and we must foster a thirst for curiosity and ignite creativity – this is what we are doing here. By bringing together young people, businesses and leaders, we can champion creative thinking and approaches that stretch beyond the arts.”  

The C Change conference is open to young people, teachers, leaders, businesses, and communities. 

More information and tickets for the conference are available here.