For the last fifteen years I’ve been at the forefront of developing and articulating co-creation practice: bringing young people and professional artists together to make transformative theatre that has changed lives across the world.
Theatre is leading the way in co-creation and, as I leave my role as the founder and Artistic Director of Company Three, I want to share my knowledge, skills and experience to help other organisations listen to, platform and create with young people and communities.
I am doing this in three ways: consultancy, training, and advocacy.
Consultancy
I support the organisational development of companies who want to listen better and more purposefully to the people they work with. I can help you develop your vision and mission, strategy, organisational structures and youth participation and advocacy programmes.
I work in a bespoke and holistic way with each organisation I support, drawing on my experience of founding and developing one of the UK’s most successful youth arts charities.
“It takes great skill to listen, facilitate and shape thinking in the way that Ned inimitably does – bringing clarity, challenge and a sense of play.”
- Jenny Mollica, English National Opera
“Ned is insightful, challenging …and constantly pushes your thinking further and deeper.”
- Naomi Alexander, Brighton People’s Theatre
“It was amazing, and incredibly valuable for me. I'll be thinking about it for years and years to come.”
“The depth of the thinking that Ned has done about practice and method, and the ability to articulate that clearly was so helpful.”
- Course participants
Training
I have trained more than 1,000 people in co-creation and working with young people, though Company Three’s acclaimed training courses and teaching at Universities like Goldsmiths, University of London, and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
I deliver training in a highly relational, empathetic and responsive way, drawing on theories and ideas from fields as broad as theatre, psychology, adventure play, neurology and the best way to release pandas into the wild.
I currently offer two short-term, intensive courses for up to 16 people, but I am happy to discuss developing bespoke training for you and your team.
Making Theatre with Young People (2 - 4 days, flexible)
A practical introduction to the ethics, process and practice of making theatre with young people; creating a space in which young people feel safe to express themselves - and making plays that really speak of what they want to say to the world.
Co-creation in practice (1-3 days)
A guide to the key principles and practices of co-creation for organisations working outside of theatre - including other art forms, campaigning, policy and education. We explore how to create crucial relational foundations within a mixed cohort of professionals and participants, and how to create a campaign, product or project collaboratively together.
Advocacy, public speaking, writing and media
I am an accomplished speaker and writer and have shared my experience of co-creation with young people on national television, radio, print, industry panels, and numerous blogs and podcasts, some of which are featured (alongside my own writing) below.
Featured
