Creativity Lab for Empowerment and Innovation

Helping create the next generation of innovators and changemakers through creativity and entrepreneurial learning.

 

Creativity Lab for Empowerment and Innovation is an Arab initiative helping create the next generation of innovators and changemakers through creativity and entrepreneurial learning. The lab was founded in 2019 by a group of Arab experts who have a long experience in creativity, social innovation, and entrepreneurship. These experts are coming from different sectors and specializations such as education, development, environment, artificial intelligence, theatre and drama, mental health and agriculture.

 

Creativity Lab was created to empower young people and women to grow their innate creativity to identify and anticipate diverse societal needs and think entrepreneurially in whichever field they pursue. Our Lab is certified by global platforms that work to achieve and promote the SDGs. Innovation with purpose is what Creativity Lab stands for. We develop knowledge, not for its own sake but for practical application.

 


 

Mission & Vision:

The Creativity Lab's mission and vision align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations (UN): Leave No-One Behind, as articulated in its vision: “We are committed to empowering the next generation to address society’s needs,” and mission statement: “We provide innovative youth programs as well as corporate training and consulting services to foster creativity, social innovation, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement”. Moreover, the Lab connects, inspires, trains, and mentors young change agents and innovators to become global problem solvers guided by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. In addition, the strategy envisions the Lab taking on new programmatic roles as a catalyst, enabler, and facilitator to maximize impact and create social value.

 


 

Methodology:

 

The action Theory of Change is translated into the following Conceptual Framework (The Creative Empowerment Model):

The Creative Empowerment Model combines EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, GROUP FACILITATION and ARTS-BASED PRACTICE into a framework for designing and leading transformative programs for youth and adults. Participants develop self-confidence, motivation, social entrepreneurial skills, social and emotional competence, and leadership – proven predictors of well-being. The organizer defines “Empowerment” as increasing the strength and confidence to enact the life we envision for ourselves, our communities, and the world.

 


  • Experiential Learning: Hands-on-experience sparks new perspectives. Participation and reflection ignite possibility, offer insight and transform attitudes, behaviors and beliefs.

  • Groups Facilitation: Social and Empathetic growth happens in well-facilitated groups. The most current techniques in leadership and group dynamics prepare practitioners to build great groups.

  • Arts-based Practice: People thrive in arts-rich environments. Easy-to-lead activities drawn from art forms like poetry, visual arts, music, and theater to boost bonding and creativity, build motivation, and bring joy into learning.

 

Gender Equality: The organizers believes that innovation and entrepreneurship advance gender equality. They describe four areas of innovation that, when they intersect, have the potential to progress children and teachers’ empowerment:

(1) Technology Use

(2) Social Norm Change

(3) Economic Resilience

(4) Climate Change Awareness.

 

Also, the partners believe that when girls and boys thrive in all of these areas, there is a demonstrable shift in gender relations. The Creativity Lab will use human-centered design (HCD) to accelerate the generated innovative ideas by children to have a positive impact on the entire community and climate. With an initial design narrowly targeting male and female students, it has adapted known gender equity approaches to determine whether social innovations have improved their’s ability to earn, learn, save and be safe. A crucial part of the action’s methodology is to help students to innovate products or services to benefit the entire community and to raise awareness about climate challenge. The action is innovative because it is a gateway for marginalized students with entrepreneurial ambitions. In particular, the project is home to many pioneer youth who want to contribute effectively to the development of Palestine.

Our Values:

Creativity Lab's daily work is guided by different values.

The values are as follows:

Impact and dedication: The Arab World is dominated by young people and teenagers. Teenagers and young people should be motivated to take action and join forces to achieve justice, respect, and well-being for current and future generations.

The Creativity Lab is an NGO driven by the community. In the lab, we value creativity, passion, diversity, tolerance, and integrity.

Beauty and well-being: The Creativity Lab believes life is beautiful. The key to success and happiness is a healthy well-being.

Radical Collaboration: The Creativity Lab believes that everyone deserves an opportunity to succeed. In a context of inclusion, competence, and openness, this opportunity can help achieve its full potential.

Does not matter: Be ambitious, and courageous, and dare to doubt yourself.

Creativity Lab Professional Principles:

A set of professional principles was developed by local representatives and stakeholders during the development of the lab's 2024-2024 strategy. These principles are very critical as they contribute effectively to real and lasting change.

Community participation and empowerment are ensured at all phases and levels of our actions and programs (planning, implementation, monitoring, and accountability), including through the lab's initiatives, activities, projects, and main interventions. This includes fostering and supporting overall enabling environments for inclusive, equal, and meaningful community participation;

The engagement of communities is systematic, sustainable, and responsible so that their diversity and their organizations, networks, and movements experiences, which are typically overlooked in development projects and programs, are recognized and valued;

Accountability and transparency are ongoing commitments and participatory processes that require the establishment of mechanisms to ensure that they are embedded into the work with local communities that adopt our tools;

- A just and proactive rights-based approach is already a commitment of Creativity Lab and guides our strategy, so we must ensure Arab people are at the forefront by actively adhering to this approach at all levels within our organization, including internally and within our projects and programs.

- Gender-specific principles: Creativity Lab will ensure that gender equity and equality values are incorporated within, and beyond, the stated methods of operation.