Impact case study: Braydon

Braydon, Young Writers' City participant, 2022

New Writing North first worked with Braydon in his literacy lessons with the Stephen Spender Trust at the start of Year 9. When that project finished, he joined us at some of our lunchtime and after school clubs, such as Proud Words and our open access creative writing club on a Thursday. He’s now a regular attendee of our Young Writers’ City programme at Excelsior Academy.

Writing has helped me to open up in front of others

I first met the team from New Writing North when they worked on a translation project in our year nine English lessons. I really enjoyed it and so I decided to come to some after school clubs to work on my writing.

I like coming to the after school clubs because of all the different types of writing we get to try out. I have particularly enjoyed writing my own folk story about how the mountains were made and then illustrating it with paints. I have also written several poems about myself.

I have really enjoyed working with our facilitator Jamie as part of Proud Words. They create a really lovely vibe in the sessions and it’s helped me feel calm. Doing more writing has helped me to open up in front of others, read out loud and has increased my confidence. I always feel joy when I come to the sessions.

Braydon, Excelsior Academy, Newcastle

It’s been fantastic to watch Braydon grow in confidence and try out many different styles of writing – he is an asset to all of the groups he attends! 

Bridget Hamilton, Project producer, Young Writers’ City