BEING involved in something creative, such as performing arts or writing, is beneficial to teenagers in lots of ways, from simply building their confidence to helping them in later life making presentations or going for interviews. One of the most important aspects of a creative activity is how it helps to develop a teenager's sense of personal identity.
Author Claire Hennessy has written nine novels for teenagers, the first of which was Dear Diary… published when she was only 13. She now regularly undertakes author visits and writing workshops for schools, libraries and festivals.
"A creative activity such as writing is particularly important for teenagers as an outlet and a way of having something of your own – your own voice. Teenagers are at the point where they're developing their identities and it's easy to get sucked into what everybody else is doing," she says.
"Creative writing or drama workshops help young people to come out of their shells because they meet people with common interests that they wouldn't necessarily meet at school.