At Hazlehurst Studios, we’ve always been passionate about providing young people with opportunities to develop their creative skills, and our Winter Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Adventure was the perfect way to do just that!
Thanks to the generous funding from Halton Housing, we were able to deliver an exciting series of workshops that combined hands-on art activities with immersive gameplay. Here’s a look back at how it all went and what we achieved together.
Bringing Creativity to Life: The Project Overview
In December 2024, we were thrilled to bring young people back to Hazlehurst Studios for a special winter-themed programme. Building on the success of our summer workshops, this project focused on nurturing creativity and fostering social connections through Dungeons & Dragons—a fantastic way to get everyone involved in storytelling, problem-solving, and teamwork.
With the support of Halton Housing, we were able to offer a combination of artistic activities and D&D gameplay that not only sparked imagination but also taught some really valuable new skills. The programme was inclusive, fun, and aimed at boosting confidence, helping young people express themselves creatively, and building a sense of community.
What We Did: The Sessions
We ran four workshops across December, each designed to engage young people in something new. Here’s a rundown of what went down:
Sessions 1 & 2 – Mimic Chest Making with Rachael Prime
Date: 20th & 21st December
Participants: 12 young people
What we did: Participants got creative making D&D-themed mimic chests (yes, those treasure chests that might bite back!). Using sculpting and painting techniques, the group worked on these projects with a festive Christmas twist, all while developing their fine motor skills and patience.
Sessions 3 & 4 – Leatherworking & D&D Gameplay with Nick and Chris
Date: 22nd & 23rd December
Participants: 19 young people
What we did: These sessions were all about crafting and creativity! Participants used hand-cranked sewing machines to make leather accessories, and then dived into a D&D adventure guided by Chris from Dawnstar Gaming CIC. They worked together to solve problems, strategise, and tell a fun, collaborative story.
The Skills They Gained
Through this programme, young people didn’t just have fun—they learned valuable new skills:
Artistic & Craft Skills: Sculpting, painting, and leatherworking.
Storytelling & Roleplaying: Building creative narratives and working together in teams.
Problem-Solving: Thinking critically in both crafting and gameplay.
Social Skills & Confidence: Making friends and growing in self-confidence.
The Impact: How We Made a Difference
The feedback from both participants and their families was incredibly positive. Not only did the young people gain new skills, but they also left the workshops excited about future creative opportunities. It was clear that the programme made a real impact on their confidence and sense of belonging.
This project also helped to strengthen our ongoing youth engagement strategy, and it’s clear that there is a continued demand for these kinds of creative opportunities. We’re already looking forward to offering more sessions like these in the future!
Looking Ahead: What’s Next?
With the support of Halton Housing, we’ve been able to make a big difference to young people in the area. But we’re not stopping here! The feedback and the success of this programme have shown us that there’s a strong demand for more youth-led creative opportunities.
Thanks to the evidence we’ve gathered, we’re looking to:
Extend the programme: Add more sessions to meet the growing demand.
Improve materials: Increase funding for higher-quality crafting supplies.
Offer follow-up activities: Think about setting up a D&D club or ongoing creative workshops.
Boost feedback collection: Ensure we have a clearer understanding of how to measure the long-term impact.
Find more funding: We’re actively exploring additional funding sources to keep these amazing opportunities going.
This funding has been crucial to helping us understand just how much these creative programmes are needed, and we’re excited to continue providing these activities to young people in our community.
A Huge Thank You to Halton Housing
We want to say a big thank you to Halton Housing for their support of the Winter D&D Adventure. Without this funding, we wouldn’t have been able to offer such a meaningful, skill-building experience to young people. We’re looking forward to building on this success and continuing to create more opportunities for youth engagement and development.
Commenti