💡Looking for ideas for your session plans?
These examples of actual practice have been provided to stimulate ideas when planning activities linked to the arts, culture and heritage curriculum theme – you can use and adapt them to suit the young people you work with.
Examples:
My Identity Project:
Exploring young people’s values, beliefs, and their thoughts about their own culture and community, including the issues they face. Young people can voice their opinions and influence change using creative activities like art, drama, music and photography.
What songs were you listening to in 20XX?
As a young person I listened to…….. – discuss the music young people listened to growing up, memories they associate with music and how this makes them feel.
Youth Arts programme:
Young people working together to learn new skills, develop, plan, budget and run events for the public and peers from other countries to showcase young people’s achievement.
Appreciating a range of cultural experience:
Working with young people and providers of cultural opportunities to enable young people to experience new and traditional arts in settings they may not usually be able to access. Then work with young people to develop their own arts-based programmes that enable experimentation, creativity, and storytelling.
Explore Local Heritage:
Take young people on trips to local museums, galleries, and heritage sites, where they can learn about the history and cultural significance of their area.
Arts-Based Workshops:
Work with local artists to deliver workshops that allow young people to explore different forms of creative expression like painting, photography, or theatre. These activities can be used to explore themes of identity, culture, and heritage, helping them create something that reflects their personal experiences and values.
Storytelling and Folklore:
Encourage young people to share stories from their culture or family traditions. This could be through writing, spoken word, or video recording. Highlight the importance of preserving folklore and traditions while learning from those of other communities.
Explore Music and Dance:
Organise music or dance sessions where young people can learn and perform traditional songs, modern music, or dance from different cultures. This can help young people connect with their heritage, explore new cultures, and learn from each other in a fun and engaging way.
Create a Digital Art Platform:
Set up an online platform or social media page where young people can share their artistic creations, like songs, videos, or digital art. This gives them a space to express themselves and connect with others, especially those from different backgrounds or areas, and helps overcome barriers of access to physical spaces.
Collaborative Community Projects:
Involved young people in projects that promote local culture, such as creating a mural, performing at community events, or organising cultural festivals. This not only connects young people to their own heritage but also promotes understanding and respect for others’ cultures and the community they live.
Streetleague – bringing communities together:
Working with young people across communities and settings, engaging and developing relationships through sport. Bringing young people together from all different backgrounds to celebrate their interest in similar sports in a competitive arena and create opportunities for young people to attain coaching and refereeing badges.
Musical Storytelling builds confidence, imagination, and creative thinking.
- Play different types of music (e.g., upbeat, dramatic, slow).
- Young people write a short story or poem inspired by the music.
- Add a challenge: Perform it in spoken word style or rap form!
- Encourage young people to express the words and try different voices when performing.
