A multi-award winning theatre, drama and creative learning charity.

Based in Northumberland, we co-create compelling, dynamic, socially-relevant, and high-quality theatre, film and creative projects - with children, young people, and communities. 

Our purpose is to support people to have better quality inter-personal relationships with on another, and to use theatre and drama-based activities as a methodology to achieve this; helping people connect, have fun, learn and grow together.

Gosforth Civic Theatre is an arts venue, café and community hub in Gosforth, and is home to, and run by, Liberdade Community Development Trust.

We opened Gosforth Civic Theatre in 2016, and in 2019 we hosted more than 900 events and activities, and invited over 50,000 people through our doors. In the words of Ozzy, one of our founding members, we opened the theatre because; 

First Response Training is one of the UK’s leading and largest dedicated training providers, successfully delivering courses to in excess of 70,000 delegates every year. Our vision is simple: we create safer working environments through the delivery of a range of quality training solutions across health and social care, early years, schools and all other industry sectors throughout the UK. We have a number of training facilities based across the UK.

The Newcastle Careers and Guidance Team offers impartial and confidential careers information, advice and support to young people up to the age of 19 without an Education Health and Care Plan (EHC plan) if they live in Newcastle or attend a Newcastle school.  (Please note, young people with an EHC plan are supported by their SEN caseworker)

Beacon Films CIC is a training and production organisation for people with learning disabilities, autism and additional needs.  We have been given multiple awards for our work.

Throughout the year, we offer a variety of filmmaking projects.  There are also some volunteering opportunities on short film commissions. 

School Outreach (ages 9-14 years)

Coming to a school near you!
Our Regional Engagement Team offer specially designed activities to meet your school’s needs. Our focus is to inspire young people through fun-filled activities concentrating on teamwork and communication to build their confidence. Our 1-2 hour sessions include practical leadership & team building tasks for groups of up to 30 students.

Skills Academy

At Changing Lives we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to reach their potential. We are experts in working with people experiencing the most challenging of circumstances, providing holistic support to help people to go on to lead happy, fulfilling lives. We work across four – often interconnected – areas to address the most common causes of social exclusion and long-term deprivation:

• Housing and Homelessness,
• Recovery and Wellbeing,
• Women and Children,
• Employment and Training.

Available for practitioners who have already completed the Relationships Matter- Reducing Parental Conflict awareness training. You will be trained in the following three courses