In a Super Power Agency workshop, anything goes. You want to write about a time-travelling frog who drives a sports car? Go ahead! You’ve invented a new language for the monster in your story? Sounds amazing! Your main character and their talking dog get sucked into a portal and end up on a new planet? We’d love to come on that wild ride!
When it comes to writing stories the Super Power way, there are no rules – well, almost. We try to steer clear of get-out-of-jail-free endings like ‘and it was all a dream’ or killing everyone off in a dramatic, unexpected way. We also say that the characters and scenarios in your story must be original. They might be inspired by an existing book or TV show, but the details and the plot have to be your own.
Recently, we’ve noticed that more and more young people are finding it difficult to stick to that second story writing rule. Young people are telling us that they ‘don’t have any ideas’ or that they can’t think of their own characters or settings. When we push them a little more, they might settle on an existing character – a superhero, a cartoon character, a video game protagonist – to get started with, but many still struggle to branch out into their own spin-off.
And we get it! Coming up with your own ideas and crafting them into an exciting, funny, sad or spooky story is a challenge. A blank page can be a scary prospect…but that’s all the more reason why young people need opportunities to use their imagination and let their creativity soar!
We know that the young people we work with have fantastic stories inside them. We also know that their confidence is at an all-time low, as are the time and space to be creative.
Teachers are telling us that they don’t have time to do as much creative writing as they would like in class. Outside of school, it might be social pressures, caring responsibilities, not having access to writing materials or lack of space at home that prevents young people from feeling that they can be creative. And that’s without even mentioning the lure of screens, YouTube and TikTok…
If young people’s creative confidence isn’t given the space and support it deserves, it becomes harder and harder for them to see themselves as creative people with ideas that matter and opinions of their own. This has a knock-on effect for communication skills, self-esteem and wider attainment.
That’s where the Super Power Agency comes in.
For a young person, taking part in a Super Power Agency workshop could be the first time they’ve seen a piece of writing work through from start to finish.
Maybe they don’t usually speak up in class, but by the end of the workshop they can stand in front of their peers and share their writing.
It might give them something to look forward to, a positive reason to come to class that day instead of skiving.
Maybe they love writing stories but they’ve never had someone tell them how brilliant their ideas are.
Maybe writing isn’t their thing at all, but working with one of our Writing Mentors has given them the confidence to speak to new people.
We know that not every young person who takes part in our workshops will go on to be an author. In fact, most won’t and that’s okay. What is important is that everyone leaves our workshops feeling like their ideas and their story matters.
This Small Charities Week, you can help young people tell their stories by donating to the Super Power Agency. With the help of the Big Give, any donation you make between the 23rd – 30th June 2025 will be doubled. Double the donation means double the impact, giving even more young people the chance to find their creative voice and write their story.
Click here to donate to the Super Power Agency’s Big Give Campaign.