Different Ways of Seeing: Creativity, Connection and Confidence in Catterick

Over three days in July, Mindful Photography UK CIC had the pleasure of working in partnership withNeurodiverse Communities CIC in Catterick, supporting young people through photography, creativity, nature and art.

The project, Different Ways of Seeing, was designed to give young people an opportunity to connect, explore their creativity and express themselves in an inclusive and supportive environment.

Across the three days, we recorded 26 participant attendances, with some wonderful feedback about the difference the experience made.

Day One: Getting to Know Each Other

Our first day was about getting to know the young people and, importantly, finding out what they wanted from the project.

Eight young people joined us.

We talked about nature, being outdoors and the things around us that can make us feel calm. The group created a visual mind map together and then headed outside to explore their surroundings through photography.

Afterwards, we came back together, shared photographs and talked about the experience. Participants reported feeling calmer.

One of the simplest comments summed it up beautifully:

“Good. I like nature.”

Day Two: Exploring Resilience

Nine young people joined us for our second day.

This time, our conversations explored resilience and what that word actually means.

The young people used their smartphones to look at different descriptions of resilience and we talked about some of the challenges we can face in life.

An important part of the conversation was recognising that resilience isn’t simply about coping with everything ourselves. Asking for help can be part of resilience too.

Photography gave the group an opportunity to explore some of these ideas creatively.

The responses included:

“I feel calmer.”

“Good, amazing. I would come again.”

And one young person told us:

“I want to be a photographer.”

Day Three: Making, Creating and Taking Something Home

Our final day brought photography and art together.

Nine young people attended, with artist Dove Armistead leading the creative making session.

We explored art, nature, journalling and reflection, as well as heading outside again to take photographs.

This time, participants were able to print some of their photographs and use them within their journals, creating something physical that they could take home.

This proved particularly popular:

“I enjoyed seeing my photos printed and to take them home.”

“It was amazing.”

“Fun.”

“It was very nice to be part of the group.”

The Impact Beyond the Three Days

One of the things we were particularly interested in was whether the young people might continue using photography and their journals once the project had finished.

Their responses were incredibly encouraging.

“I will continue this by taking my journal on holiday and take pictures.”

“When I go away I will take pictures of the lights.”

“I will do at least five photos every week.”

We also heard young people talking about sharing what they had experienced with the people around them:

“I told my friends.”

“I liked sharing photos with friends and family.”

“I am going to ask my friends and family to share photos in a group.”

These comments matter.

They show young people taking something from the project and making it their own — choosing to continue creating, noticing, sharing and connecting after the organised sessions had ended.

Another participant told us:

“I felt calmer and it was nice to just walk around and take pictures of flowers. It’s nice and I would like to do it again.”

Perhaps the most straightforward piece of feedback was:

“Need to do more often.”

We agree.

Partnership Makes This Possible

A huge part of the success of these three days came from working closely with Lesley Collier and Neurodiverse Communities CIC.

Lesley had already engaged with the young people and brought together participants who could benefit from the opportunity. That local knowledge, established relationship and support created the foundations for the project.

This is exactly why partnership working matters to us.

Rather than arriving in a community and expecting people to engage, we work alongside organisations that already know and support their communities.

What Happens Next?

Although the three funded days have finished, we wanted there to be something that could continue.

Mindful Photography UK CIC has therefore provided Lesley with an additional photography project that can be reused with the young people, giving Neurodiverse Communities CIC something practical to build upon in future sessions.

We will also use what we have learned from Different Ways of Seeing as a pilot to help us explore opportunities for further work with neurodiverse young people.

The project may have lasted three days, but some of the young people’s comments suggest that its impact will travel considerably further:

“I will do at least five photos every week.”

And that’s exactly the kind of legacy we hoped to see. If you’d like to see a project like this in your area email rebecca@mindfulphotography.org.uk