Create Rochdale Annual Report 2024-2025

OUR MISSION

Create Rochdale is Rochdale’s Local Cultural Education Partnership (LCEP). We are a network of organisations and professionals who work in the arts, education and youth sectors. Our mission is to ensure that all children and young people living in Rochdale Borough have access to high quality cultural education

Why?

Cultural education provides young people with opportunities to discover, create, learn and have fun together It also contributes to children growing into healthier and happier adults

Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states:

Everychild should have the right ‘to rest, leisure, play, recreational activities, cultural life and the arts’.

‘Everychild should be able to enjoythese rights regardless ofwhere he or she lives, his or her cultural

background

or his or her parental status.’ *

*United Nations, General comment No. 17 (2013) on the right of the child to rest, leisure, play, recreational activities, cultural life and the arts (art. 31) 2013, Page 3

2

WHYWE EXIST

Here are four more reasons Create Rochdale exists:

1. Cultural education contributes to better health and wellbeing.

The Greater Manchester Creative Health Strategy contains evidence that ‘engaging with creativity, culture and heritage helps us to lead longer, healthier, happier lives.’

Rochdale Borough Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) states that ‘Culture and Social Life’ is one of the fundamental building blocks for improving health and wellbeing outcomes for people. It goes on to say ‘In the early years, creative health can encourage social, emotional and cognitive development, in preparing children for school and in reducing the attainment gap.’

2. Cultural education helps young people learn and develop skills for the future.

In the year ending December 2023, ‘The unemployment rate for Rochdale was higher than across the North West as a whole’* Rochdale also has a high proportion of people with no qualifications. Rochdale’s Pioneering Creativity strategy states that ‘Students from low-income families who take part in art activities at school are three times more likely to get a degree than children from low-income families who do not.’

*Rochdale's employment, unemployment and economic inactivity - ONS

‘My mental health hasn't been the best lately but when I step through those doors [M6 Theatre], I'm in my happy place I don't have to think about the self-loathing and things like that, I can just have fun and be myself.’

M6 Youth Theatre participant.

‘My child is very creative and has lots of good ideas However, they struggle to get their ideas across and lacks confidence in their abilities. I have seen a big improvement in this area [since taking part in the project]’

Parent/Carer of child who participated in Touchstones’ Side by Side project.

3. Through cultural education young people can be heard

‘For too long, the nation’s young people have been deprived of a meaningful seat at the table in the decisions that directly impact their lives.’ Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, 2024.

Raising Rochdale (The Children and Young People’s Partnership Plan) has identified the need for young people to be heard, as one of the four priorities in working towards Rochdale’s children and young people achieving their full potential

The arts are a tool for self-expression and cultural projects can amplify young people’s voices and experiences.

4. An arts entitlement gap exists

‘Children growing up in poverty are the least likely to access arts education and are missing out on the important personal and social benefits they provide’ Sally Bacon, Co-Chair of the Cultural Learning Alliance.

The Cultural Learning Alliance’s Report Card 2025 shows that in the most deprived fifth of local authorities, expressive arts subjects account for 6.6% of GCSE entries compared to 8.3% in the least deprived areas. It also shows that ‘56% of young people aged 11 –19 in the two most deprived quintiles experience creative or cultural extracurricular opportunities, compared to 76% in the most affluent quintiles.’

To put it simply, Create Rochdale aims to change this narrative in Rochdale Borough

WHOWEARE

Our partners this academic year were:

Altus Education Partnership

Breaking Barriers

Cartwheel Arts

Culture Co-Op

Falinge Park High School

Hopwood Hall College

M6 Theatre Company

Positive Steps

Rochdale Borough Council Virtual School

Rochdale Borough Council Work and Skills

Rochdale Borough Council Youth Services

Rochdale Science Initiative

Rochdale Sixth Form College

Rochdale Town Hall

Skylight Circus Arts

Touchstones

Number of Partners

35%

12 months

Partners sign a partnership agreement and commit to attending monthly meetings where they discuss priorities, identify needs and agree action Our partnership has grown by 35% in the last twelve months.

Create Rochdale partners are surrounded by a wider community of professionals who attend our events, receive our newsletters and work with us towards our mission

Karen Lea, Assistant Principal Vocational & Foundation Learning at Hopwood Hall College is the Chair of the partnership.

Diane Higgins, Senior Youth Officer at Rochdale Borough Council is the Deputy Chair.

Create Rochdale is coordinated by Programme Manager, Helen Thackray This role is currently funded by Arts Council England’s Place Partnership Fund and employed by Your Trust.

Create Rochdale is part of Rochdale’s Cultural Compact, ‘Rochdale Creates’ The Compact brings together local arts organisations, creatives and policy makers to collaboratively transform Rochdale into a centre of cultural activity and creativity

Our partnership values collaboration and is built on sociocratic principles which means everyone is involved in decision making

Here’s what our partners say about the way we work:

‘Being part of a growing network of like minded organisations who value arts and culture has led to a strengthening of working relationships and a confidence that we are not alone in seeking to enrich the communities we work with and give more opportunities for people to participate in, and lead, cultural events.’ Cartwheel Arts.

‘Being part of this group has certainly allowed me to find out more about what is going on in our borough. I'm able to feed this back to the wider work and skills teams, which is then fed back to the residents we are supporting.’ Rochdale Borough Council Work and Skills.

‘Structure is excellent, with a wide range of partners in attendance Meetings are open and transparent, and views are always sought We have valuable discussions and decisions are made collectively. Agendas are always detailed, and meetings are chaired to an excellent, high standard.’ Altus Education Partnership.

THEORYOF CHANGE

Through a series of visioning workshops, facilitated by Curious Minds in 2022, Create Rochdale partners identified the barriers preventing children and young people accessing cultural education and actions that could be taken to remove them This process defined our priorities and our theory of change:

INTRODUCTION

Over the past year, our cultural education partnership has shown how having a shared mission, a strategic approach and commitment to collaboration can create meaningful change in Rochdale Borough

We are part of Rochdale’s Cultural Compact; a collective of arts and cultural organisations which collaborate to grow the sector and enhance its impact. Rochdale Borough Council and Rochdale Development Agency secured Cultural Development Funding from DCMS, administered by Arts Council England in 2022 which amongst other activities, included the creation of the Cultural Compact In early 2025, the Compact received a grant of over £750,000 in Place Partnership funding from Arts Council England, secured by Rochdale Development Agency. Around 40% of this money is being spent on programmes and activities aimed specifically at children and young people which will be delivered by Create Rochdale partners The aim is to increase children’s participation in the arts, unlock their creative potential and give them opportunities to co-produce cultural programmes. Activity highlights include our Young Producer programme, Creativity in Careers event and our wellbeing focused work in secondary schools as part of the Shine Bright programme.

In April 2025 Rochdale was awarded Greater Manchester Town of Culture status for twelve months, acknowledging the strength of our local cultural offer. Our partnership has taken this opportunity to increase families’ awareness of cultural education opportunities and supported them to visit their local cultural venues for the first time

This report documents the activity delivered by Create Rochdale partners during the 2024 - 2025 academic year that aligns with our mission and priorities. The report focuses on activity that has been ignited or supported by partnerships within the Create Rochdale network and does not cover every cultural education activity delivered by partners during the period

HEADLINES

We asked our partners how they have benefited from our partnership in the last year and they said:

44% of surveyed partners have received funding through the Cultural Development Fund or Place Partnership Fund to deliver cultural education activity in Rochdale Borough

88% of surveyed partners have been able to provide new opportunities for children and young people.

100% have developed new partnerships

78% have engaged new children and young people

Over 1000 secondary school pupils have met professional creatives and received careers guidance

Over 2200 adults have actively engaged with information about Rochdale’s cultural education offer for families and over 300 children have visited cultural venues during the summer holidays as a result of our Culture Quest campaign.

155 professionals have received training and information to support children to access cultural education

‘The work of Create Rochdale has been pivotal in uniting a diverse spectrum of creatives with a shared mission: to elevate Rochdale through purposeful collaboration. By expanding access to the arts and nurturing young talent, we have profoundly enriched lives across the borough broadening horizons, sparking ambition, and celebrating the transformative power of creativity’

Alex Dobson, Director of Lifelong Learning at Hopwood Hall College.

‘Whilst we celebrate these successes we are aware of the challenges surrounding cultural education locally and nationally Sustaining this momentum will require continued collaboration, innovation and funding We invite you to join us – as a partner, supporter or advocate – to ensure that every child and young person in Rochdale has the chance to benefit from cultural education and all the opportunities it brings’

Helen Thackray, Create Rochdale Programme Manager.

Developing a broad, balanced and inclusive cultural education offer.

Rochdale is a thriving borough with a diverse population that experiences higher than average levels of deprivation* Based on national data, this means that children in our borough are less likely to access cultural education opportunities One of our objectives is to develop a broad, balanced and inclusive cultural education offer that meets the varied needs of local children.

Our partners share programming information with each other and work together to identify and respond to gaps in provision. Specific projects delivered by partners that have attempted to remove barriers to cultural education include:

SEND-friendly circus sessions at Skylight Circus Arts

Creative projects for care-experienced young people, led by Touchstones

SEND mornings at Rochdale Town Hall for families

Creative Saturday Clubs at Hopwood Hall College

Act to Shine SEND Youth Theatre delivered by M6 Theatre Company

Art, Words and Wellbeing Garden at Falinge Park High School

Cartwheel Arts’ Artist in Residence at The Yard in Darnhill, Heywood

REACH platform by Altus Education Partnership

Common Threads Community Cohesion programme for schools in Middleton, led by Culture Co-op

deprived

Shine Bright

Place Partnership funding from Arts Council England has enabled us to contribute to a project led by Rochdale Borough Council’s School improvement team and Virtual School that aimed to explore how a whole school approach can support pupils’ social, emotional and mental health whilst also enhancing their overall wellbeing and academic progress.

Six secondary schools took part in the programme which included:

Training for teachers

Targeted interventions around reading and communication

Wellbeing support in school through key workers

Engagement with families

Cultural education workshops for pupils

Three of our partners (Skylight Circus Arts, M6 Theatre Company and Rochdale Town Hall) delivered creative workshops in one or more of the schools.

Before and after the six weeks of creative workshops we asked pupils:

Doyou feel that creative activities can helpyou feel confident, focused and happy?

Before the workshops started, 33% of pupils said ‘To some extent’ or ‘Yes’ .

After the workshops had finished, 79% of pupils said ‘To some extent’ or ‘Yes’. 79% 33%

6 weeks

At least two pupils chose to engage with new cultural education opportunities outside of school as a result of the programme

‘Some of them [the pupils] rarely ever smile, but today they were smiling, shouting 'look at me' and feeling proud’

Secondarypupils engaged

Teacher at Falinge Park High School.

Shine Bright Case Study

This is an account of a pupil’s progress during the Shine Bright programme, provided by a workshop facilitator

‘This young person attended all six sessions of our circus skills programme. At the start, they struggled to build relationships with female school staff and would often distract others by shouting, hitting, or throwing objects These behaviours usually appeared when they found a task too tricky or overwhelming

...If the young person felt something was too much, they could take a short time out, rather than being removed from the session. This avoided them feeling punished or that they had failed. The approach worked, but our aim remained to keep them engaged in the sessions, supporting their confidence, self-esteem and ability to cope with challenges

Over the six sessions, we focused on finding skills they enjoyed and could succeed in. Two particular skills stood out, both of which seemed to offer them sensory regulation as well as focus. These were juggling and flower sticks. The week flower sticks were introduced, Skylight staff observed them standing in front of the mirror in the dance studio, watching themself spin the flower stick again and again, smiling at their reflection, fully absorbed It was the first time they sustained attention on a skill without any intervention With juggling, they were drawn to the action of throwing objects. We built on this by setting them small, achievable challenges, such as changing the height or rhythm of their throws. By the final session, they had chosen to practise three-ball juggling independently for 20 minutes They then approached staff with pride to share their progress, saying, “Look Miss, look at me, I can do three now”

Another key area of development was their connection with peers. At first, they often sought attention by disrupting others’ learning. Skylight staff introduced a group activity where they and several boys stood in a circle, carefully passing a spinning plate between them They stayed engaged, focused, and did not attempt to spoil the activity Later that session, they were seen encouraging another participant to spin a plate Although they didn't manage to spin it for them, instead of becoming frustrated, they simply pointed them towards staff for support and returned to their own plate spinning. Over the six weeks, we saw significant progress The young person began to find joy in learning and mastering circus skills, developed coping strategies for frustration and showed pride in their achievements They also began to form positive connections with both staff and peers, moving from disruption towards contribution.’

The Herds

In July 2025, a global cultural project was brought to Heywood in the form of a herd of life-size animal puppets. The Herds (by The Walk Productions) travelled from the Congo Basin to the Arctic Circle, symbolising their flight from climate change. On Friday 4 July 2025, The Herds passed through Heywood, exploring residential streets before gathering around the lake in Queen’s Park Over 9000 people came to see the unique event produced by Manchester International Festival, in partnership with Rochdale Development Agency and Rochdale Borough Council.

In the lead up to the event, Cartwheel Arts used Place Partnership funding to deliver a series of artist-led workshops in four Heywood primary schools and at community events in Darnhill The artwork created by children in the workshops was exhibited at Number One Riverside and Heywood Sports Village

Participants engaged in creative workshops leading up to The Herds event.

Young people from RochdaleYouth Services volunteered as stewards at The Herds event in Heywood.

Creative Skills and Careers

Unemployment is higher in Rochdale than the regional and national average* and statistics show that the national cultural sector workforce is unrepresentative of UK society. Our priority is to use cultural education to develop young people’s capabilities and develop pathways into employment within creative industries and other sectors for young people from all backgrounds

‘Create Rochdale reframes the role of cultural education and opportunities in the lives of young people, ensuring Rochdale is firmly part of Greater Manchester’s thriving creative future. Greater Manchester is recognised as a proud city-region of innovation, with a creative sector that is the fastestgrowing home to thousands of creative businesses, over 50,000 individuals employed in creative jobs, and generating over £4 billion annually** Rochdale has the chance to connect our young people to this vibrant economy by embedding cultural education at the heart of learning and community life. Through creativity, we can open pathways for young people to explore, develop skills, and imagine new possibilities ensuring they are not only part of our local story but also contributors to Greater Manchester’s position as the largest creative cluster outside London.’ - Karen Lea, Chair of Create Rochdale.

Young Producer Programme

In 2025 Cartwheel Arts launched a Young Producer Programme that will run for two years and give around 70 young adults the opportunity to develop skills and gain experience in producing events with our partners. The programme is a collaboration between Cartwheel Arts, Breaking Barriers, Your Trust and Brighter Sounds The programme is funded by Arts Council England Place Partnership Fund, UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Heywood Town Board.

The programme launched in March 2025 with a Producer Week delivered by Breaking Barriers Nine emerging producers attended and took part in a variety of training sessions, site visits and workshops before being given their own budget to work with Four of the participants secured employment in a creative role soon after the training

*Office for National Statistics, 2013

** 9A B - Creative Industries SDP Sep25.pdf

When asked what they enjoyed about the course, attendees said:

‘Learning from actual professionals, the programme felt very practical and not really academic which we really appreciated’

‘This course has made me aware of what I need to include in my projects and my business. Things like accessibility, risk assessments, etc…’

‘The guest speakers/producers were great and really approachable, which made us feel we can also do this and be successful with our practice It feels becoming a producer and working on our own projects is achievable - that was really inspiring’

The next Young Producer project was led by Cartwheel Arts and took place in Heywood with nine young people (aged under 18) producing an event as part of Darnhill Festival Their jungle-themed experience was attended by over 400 young people After the project, some of the young producers went on to volunteer and gain work experience at The Herds event in Heywood, part of Manchester International Festival and Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture.

“The project has kept me busy It’s got me out of the house It’s given me a distraction and given me a chance to do something in the community"

Darnhill Young Producer, 2025.

Creativityin Careers Event

Following the success of our first Creativity in Careers event in 2024, Positive Steps worked with Create Rochdale partners and the wider Culture Compact to organise a second event on 24 April 2025 at Rochdale Town Hall The event was funded by Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Cultural Development Fund, administered by Arts Council England.

The event aimed to introduce young people to the breadth of careers open to those with creative qualifications, skills and interests

Around 800 Year 9 pupils from 13 secondary schools attended

32 creative professionals from 21 different organisations attended, all with links to Rochdale This included 12 freelancers

29 staff from five local and regional education and training providers showcased the range of pathways into creative careers.

The event created a paid internship opportunity for a social media and graphic design officer who progressed into part-time, paid employment with Positive Steps

Feedback from teachers:

‘Staff appreciated the wide range of creative career options represented from stained glass art to TV production, freelance work and apprenticeships. The diversity gave students a broader understanding of what “creative careers” can look like.’

‘There were so many independent artists working freelance or for different establishments, promoting their work.’

‘A really good range of careers were represented’

Pupils were asked to fill in pre- and post-event surveys These pie charts show how pupils’ perceptions of creative careers and opportunities in Rochdale changed as a result of the event

Pre-Event Feedback

Post-Event Feedback

I am considering a career that uses creative skills

There are a wide range of creative jobs available to people in Rochdale

I can have a successful career while living in Rochdale

Work Placement Co-ordinator

Create Rochdale partners identified the need for a role that could work with creative industries and develop more opportunities for young people to do work experience in the creative and cultural sector.

Thanks to funding from Arts Council England’s Place Partnership Fund, Rochdale Borough Council’s Work and Skills Team have been able to employ a Creative Industries Work Placement Co-ordinator.

Tina Hogarth started the new role in July 2025 and has begun connecting young adults with work placement opportunities. Tina also gives advice and support to small organisations and freelancers on how to host work placements This enables young people to experience the reality of working in creative industries where many people work for small organisations or are self-employed.

Tina is also working with Create Rochdale partners to ensure that there is information about creative career pathways at careers events within local schools. Through giving young people experience of workplaces and encounters with employers we are helping schools meet the Gatsby Benchmarks for good careers guidance.

‘Work experience isn’t just about confirming what you want to do it’s about discovering what you could do.’

Jemima, Head Girl at Kingsway Park High School.

‘After only being a part of the [Create Rochdale] steering group for a short time our students had a range of opportunities and work experience including paid opportunities for artwork to be displayed, work experience with Richard Street Studios and other partners. This has been invaluable for student applications to university and meant that they have a wealth of experience before considering careers’

Teenage Markets

In October 2024 Rochdale Development Agency piloted Rochdale’s first Teenage Market at Rochdale Town Hall. The event provided young people with the opportunity to get business advice and gain experience selling their artwork and other products to the public There was also a stage for young people to showcase their talents by performing to live audiences There were 17 stall holders and 36 performers at the first event which was attended by 515 people Total income from sales was approximately £1000 Since the pilot, the Rochdale Development Agency have worked with Create Rochdale partners and delivered another six Teenage Markets across the borough and engaged over 100 young people.

When asked ‘What did you learn?’ young stall holders said:

'I highly recommend them to young teenagers with big aspirations. These markets have made turning a hobby into a fun event and even a small side hustle incredibly easy It's a fantastic opportunity to seize, and I encourage anyone with a creative passion to give it a try!'

Teenage Market Stall Holder

‘How to successfully sell and advertise products to customers’

‘How to speak to people when selling’ ‘Business networking’

When asked how they felt after the event, young people said:

‘Happy… glad I got to do this and people bought my products’

‘Very proud of how much we as a

SaturdayClubs

This academic year, Hopwood Hall College delivered over 60 sessions across three Saturday Clubs focused on the creative industries, supported by the National Saturday Club, Rochdale Development Agency, and funding from the British Film Institute, Touchstones, and Rochdale Borough Council’s Community Regeneration Partnership funds

The Clubs offer young people aged 13–16 free access to creative and educational experiences, nurturing talent, building confidence, broadening horizons and supporting future career pathways. Participants explored Art & Design, Film & Screen and Games Design & Esports over a 20-week programme, culminating in a national graduation event in London Many members are home-educated, school non-attenders, or have special educational needs (SEN).

Learners benefited from inspiring experiences, including:

Urban Street Art tour in Rochdale

Networking at Factory International, Manchester

Cultural visit to HOME Theatre, Manchester

Panel discussion with SISTER production company

Masterclasses in animation, audio, and video production

Art, film, and games design sessions

Exhibition at Somerset House, London

Graduation ceremony at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, London

These experiences fostered creative skills, teamwork, independence, and self-belief. All members progressed positively, re-engaging with education and preparing for future opportunities

“Saturday Art Club has been a safe space for my child to grow, be creative, and gain confidence It has improved her wellbeing, helped her travel independently, and given her pride in her work. Thanks to club support, she has embraced opportunities she would never have considered including trips, open evenings, and studying further”Parent of Saturday Club Participant.

Professional Development

Local consultation and national research (led by the Cultural Learning Alliance) tell us that teacher training is essential for improving cultural education within schools. We also know that cross sector partnerships open doors to cultural education so it’s important that youth workers, artists and other professionals working with children have the opportunity to learn about each other’s practice and how they can collaborate

CPD Events

We have continued to deliver CPD (continuing professional development) events across the borough for teachers and cultural education professionals

This year the events have explored cultural education through the lens of these themes:

Heritage and Identity

Creative Careers

Early Years

SEND

Mental Health in secondary schools

Violence Reduction

of attendees said that they would recommend our CPD events to others.

of our partners said they have accessed relevant training, information or advice as result of our partnership, this year.

‘Fantastic sessions Lots of ideas and inspiration to take away from the day Great to network with other professionals.’

Attendee at SEND CPD Event.

‘Really engaging session, allowed us to practically try out ideas for not just Forest School but our outdoor area too. Venue was amazing and gave us many ideas to use.’

Attendee at Early Years CPD Event.

Skills Share Programme

In 2024 we delivered a 12-month programme that brought together five artists and five youth workers for monthly sessions where they shared their practice with each other through training, discussions and workshops

In November 2024, the participating artists worked with Rochdale Youth Services to deliver an event at Number One Riverside in response to the National Youth Association's 'Art of Youth Work' campaign The event included exhibitions of artwork created by young people and workshops led by artists The event demonstrated the skills, creativity and impact of our local professional youth workers, who regularly work in partnership with artists and cultural organisations to ensure that young people have the opportunity to experience and explore arts and culture.

When the programme finished in December 2024, we created a short film and a booklet containing conversations between artists and youth workers, designed to inspire further collaboration.

Click the QR code to watch the film

Excerpt from the Skills Share booklet:

‘The most powerful thing for me about the project is the way it clearly demonstrates a civic commitment to the belief that this kind of work matters. Access to creative opportunities for young people have become narrower and narrower so the fact that Rochdale has a youth service is really an amazing thing, but the fact that it’s a youth service that values creativity at the heart of what it does that as a model of civic engagement, as a civic commitment I think is really, really exciting!’

Words by Liz Postlethwaite, Skills Share Facilitator.

YouthVoice

Children have the right to be heard. Since its formation, Rochdale’s LCEP has committed to ensuring that the local cultural offer is shaped by the needs and experiences of young people. We do this by having a steering group made up of professionals who work with diverse young people on a regular basis and advocate for their needs We also support and deliver creative projects that amplify the voices of young people This year, we have also invited young people to meetings and events to share their opinions on what activity we should be delivering and paid them for their time.

WildWanders

In 2024 we worked with Rochdale Borough Council and Walk the Plank to deliver an ambitious project about nature and climate change Artists recorded children in Rochdale talking about their hopes for the future. The audio was combined with images of the children's artwork into a powerful piece of digital art, shared with audiences at the Wild Wanders night-time nature trails, which took place at Hollingworth Lake Country Park in October 2024

Nearly 4000 people attended the trails and listened to the children talking about their hopes for the future. As well as expressing their concerns about climate change, the children expressed other wishes for the future, including “a world of no poverty” and “a world of peace and hope” where children are “safe”, “strong” and “happy”

Their words have inspired a new mural in Rochdale Town Centre by Greek artist Insane 51 as part of the Common Walls Festival, 2025.

Click the QR code to watch a recording of the Wild Wanders installation and hear the young people’s voices.

‘All the children were mesmerised by the video Our current Year 6s were carefully listening and spotting their voices.’

Teacher at Broadfield Primary School

‘This has been a wonderful project to be involved in, with a powerful take home message for us all The children of Rochdale have spoken and been very clear on the kind of future they want to see and it was very moving to hear the responses from visitors. I hope Wild Wanders has encouraged people to think positively about what they can do to make the world a better place for future generations.’

- Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and co-operation.

Youth Voice Training for Professionals

Create Rochdale Programme Manager, Helen Thackray, has worked with Rochdale Development Agency, Action Together and Rochdale Borough Council Youth Services to deliver two training sessions that provide professionals with information and inspiration to embed youth voice in their work, from recruiting younger trustees to setting up youth panels and creating the right environment for youth-led projects to develop

Feedback from attendees:

‘I think Youth Voice is something we already practice pretty well as an organisation but it was interesting to learn about the theory behind it and gives me something to benchmark against.’

‘It was really helpful to look at what youth voice truly is and to reflect on why it’s so important and needed, and the sad reality that many people don’t truly value, respect or implement youth voice even when they’ve said they have’

‘Good to have a forum to think and discuss how to engager younger trustees - interesting to hear about other boards in the borough.’

16 Professionals received training on Youth Voice or Youth Governance.

Youth Voice Question Time

In March 2025, Rochdale Development Agency hosted the National Cultural Development Gathering in Rochdale Town Hall and local young people were asked to share their experiences, ideas and questions relating to the conference themes:

Placemaking

Creating Opportunity

Cultural Democracy

Growth and Resilience

We wanted to ensure that local leaders heard what the young people had to say so we shared the conference consultation with local MPs and invited them to meet young people at a local youth centre. MP Elsie Blundell and MP Paul Waugh sat on a panel alongside Pete Courtie (Head of Culture and Placemaking at Rochdale Development Agency) and Heather Mellalieu (Lead Youth Work Manager at Rochdale Borough Council) and responded to young people’s comments and questions We also took the opportunity to do further consultation with young people about future plans for cultural programmes in Rochdale.

Communication

We aim to develop and improve communication channels so that more professionals, families and young people know about cultural education opportunities that are available in our borough. Our partners work together to share information and develop communication channels for a variety of audiences

Developing Professional Networks

We support ‘business to business’ communications through our monthly digital newsletter and LinkedIn account which both have growing audiences.

131%

increase in LinkedIn followers

increase in newsletter subscribers 53% 12 months

Culture Quest

To coincide with Rochdale being Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture, we launched Culture Quest – a campaign and programme to support and encourage families to explore culture in Rochdale

The Culture Quest programme consisted of the following elements:

A new webpage on the Rochdale Creates website providing information for families about family-friendly cultural events in the local area and transport information

A new digital map of 25 cultural locations in Rochdale Town Centre for families to explore.

A printed Culture Quest guide for the summer holidays that was distributed via primary schools, leisure centres, libraries and family events over the summer

A digital Culture Quest Challenge that ran over the summer holidays, encouraging families to visit locations on the map and collect points via GPS check in Subsidised Culture Quest trips to cultural venues for community groups.

children visited at least one cultural location as a result of the campaign.

adults accessed information about the local cultural offer.

of surveyed families visited at least one cultural place that they hadn’t visited before

of surveyed families walked or used public transport at least once when travelling into Rochdale to take part in the Culture Quest Challenge.

Rochdale EnrichmentActivityHub (REACH)

Altus Education Partnership continue to work with other Create Rochdale partners to maintain an online directory of enrichment opportunities for young people in Rochdale Borough. Secondary schools in the borough encourage and support young people to access the resource and use it to find activities that suit their interests and needs, from football to film making

Click the QR code to watch a short film where some of our partners talk about the impact of REACH.

Reach Engagement data from September 2024 to August 2025

LOOKING AHEAD

The past year has shown what is possible through investment, collaboration and creativity The programmes developed and delivered by Create Rochdale partners have had an immediate positive impact on the lives of children living across the borough but they have also laid the foundations for significant change in the future To increase participation in cultural education and improve opportunities for future generations in Rochdale, we need to act now and sustain the momentum Arts Council Place Partnership Funding has provided.

We want to sustain the new initiatives that are having a positive impact, such as the careers events, CPD events for teachers, Teenage Markets and the Creative Industries Work Placement Co-ordinator. We intend to deliver new programmes that will develop deeper partnerships with schools and support senior leadership teams to make their schools ‘arts rich’ We also want to work collaboratively to find solutions to some of the boroughwide barriers to participation in cultural education, including the cost and availability of transport

To deliver our plans and make our vision a reality, we need support from more organisations, businesses and people living and working in Rochdale Borough. Through new partnerships and the sharing of resources we can unlock the potential of even more children - helping them to create, connect and thrive

GET INVOLVED

If you share our passion for cultural education and want to get involved or support Create Rochdale, get in touch.

Contact:

Helen Thackray, Create Rochdale Programme Manager

Helen thackray@yourtrustrochdale co uk

Here are just some of the ways you can contribute: Join our partnership and become part of the steering group Fund or sponsor one of our events or programmes Host a work placement

Share opportunities and cultural education news for professionals via our monthly newsletter Follow us on LinkedIn @CreateRochdale and share our posts

Scan the QR code to sign up to our newsletter

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are grateful to the following organisations for their funding and support, which has enabled Create Rochdale to deliver the activity detailed in this report and bring cultural opportunities to life for children and young people across Rochdale Borough