Empowering young voices through theatre, literature and creative learning

Powerhouse's Young People & Creative Education programme uses the power of theatre and storytelling to develop confidence, creativity and essential life skills in young people across Herefordshire.

Based at our newly redeveloped headquarters in Hereford — home to our specialist Play Library and Creative Development Studio — the programme works with young people from our community, providing meaningful creative experiences that might otherwise be out of reach in a rural county.

What we do

Our youth programme is built around creative projects that use our unique resources — particularly our Play Library of thousands of plays, scripts and theatre texts — as a launchpad for learning and self-expression.

Activities include:

• Exploring plays and scripts — discovering diverse stories, characters and ideas from classic drama to contemporary new writing

• Creative workshops — developing skills in performance, spoken word, creative writing and storytelling

• Digital storytelling — using technology to create and share original audio drama, podcasts and digital content

• Showcasing — opportunities for young people to share their work and have their voices heard

Our approach

All of our youth work follows our AAA model:

1. Access — welcoming young people into our Play Library and studio spaces to discover the wealth of stories and creative resources available to them

2. Activate — sparking imagination and creativity through structured workshops, creative challenges and collaborative projects

3. Amplify — giving young people platforms to share their stories, ideas and voices with wider audiences

We work with young people who might not otherwise have access to these kinds of creative opportunities; particularly those in isolated rural communities and areas of deprivation across Herefordshire.

What young people gain

• Improved literacy, oracy and communication skills through practical creative engagement

• Greater confidence and self-expression

• New creative and technical skills including digital production

• A sense of belonging and connection to their community

• Exposure to career pathways in the creative and cultural industries

We are currently delivering youth education projects with selected cohorts as part of our 2026 opening, following the completion of our major capital redevelopment.

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