Creative Thinking

Free online resources curated for charity and not for profit organisations  

With increasing pressure on time, funding, and resources, creative thinking helps charities approach challenges in new and practical ways.

It encourages fresh perspectives, problem-solving, and the ability to find opportunities where there may be constraints.

Creating space for creative thinking supports innovation across teams and helps organisations develop more effective, responsive ways of delivering their work.

The resources and content highlighted on this page are aligned to the Building Tomorrow’s Skills in Today’s Charities report, written by Andy Lancaster for the Charity Learning Consortium.

5 Skill Development Tactics
Creative Thinking

  1. Run small, low-risk experiments: Encourage teams to try out new ideas in pilots and learn from what works without having to wait for full-scale approval.
  2. Create cross-team problem-solving sessions: Set up times for staff from different teams to get together and create ideas they may not have thought of on their own.
  3. Use digital tools to spark ideas: If one team succeeds in something new that works, let everyone know about it and help them adapt it to their own work scenario.
  4. Showcase and replicate good practice: Highlight examples of creative approaches from one part of the organisation and help other teams adapt and adopt them.
  5. Build time for curiosity and reflection: Encourage teams to pause and reflect to ask themselves, “What else could we try?”

Top resources…

12 strategies to boost creative thinking

Discover how creativity isn’t just a talent you’re born with, but a skill you can build and strengthen. This article explores how creative thinking can boost problem-solving, support personal growth, and help you adapt in a changing world – while offering insights into how you can unlock your own creative potential.

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64 million artists

Impact wheel

A research toolkit that breaks down the different dimensions of the impact of everyday creativity in the context of 64 Million Artists’ work.

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64 million artists

Creative Thinking Skills: Importance, Examples and Improvement

Unlock the power of creative thinking to generate fresh ideas, tackle complex challenges, and drive innovation. By embracing new perspectives, collaboration, and adaptability, these skills can help you make smarter decisions and continuously improve in today’s fast-changing workplace.

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Articles

Entelechy Academy Limited (2023a) Skill 2: Creative thinking, LinkedIn.
Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/skill-2-creative-thinking-entelechyacademy/

Futurelearn (2023) How to improve creativity.
Available at: https://www.futurelearn.com/info/blog/how-to-improve-creativity

Gaines, J. (2020) Fostering Creativity: 12 Strategies to Boost Creative Skills, PositivePsychology.com.
Available at: https://positivepsychology.com/creativity/

Helpful Professor (2023) 25 Creative Thinking Examples, Helpful Professor.
Available at: https://helpfulprofessor.com/creative-thinking-examples/

Our Mental Health (no date) 5 Ways to Develop Creative Thinking Skills: Unlocking Your Innovative Potential, Our Mental Health.
Available at: https://www.ourmental.health/personality/5-ways-to-develop-creative-thinking-skills-unlocking-your-innovative-potential

Pen LPS (2025) The Science of Creativity: How To Train Your Brain for innovative thinking, The science of creativity: how to train your brain for innovative thinking | Penn LPS Online.
Available at: https://lpsonline.sas.upenn.edu/features/science-creativity-how-train-your-brain-innovative-thinking

Peshev, M. (2024) 11 Strategies to Improve Your Creative Thinking Skills, Mario Peshev.
Available at: https://mariopeshev.com/creative-thinking-skills-strategies/

Potential (2021) Creative Thinking: What is it, Why is it Important, and How to Develop it?, Potential.com.
Available at: https://potential.com/articles/creative-thinking/

Skills You Need (no date) Creative Thinking Skills, SkillsYouNeed.
Available at: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/creative-thinking.html

The Knowledge Academy (2025) Creative Thinking Skills: Definition and Examples.
Available at: https://www.theknowledgeacademy.com/blog/creative-thinking-skills/

Wells, R. (2024) 5 Ways to Build Creative Thinking Skills in 2024.
Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelwells/2024/01/28/5-ways-to-build-creative-thinking-skills-in-2024/


Videos and Webinar recordings

Corazza, G. (no date) Creative thinking – how to get out of the box and generate ideas, YouTube TEDx Talks.
Available at: https://youtu.be/bEusrD8g-dM

de Bono, E. (no date) Edward de Bono on creative thinking, YouTube.
Available at: https://youtu.be/UjSjZOjNIJg

Harford, T. (no date) A powerful way to unleash your natural creativity, YouTube TEDx Talks.
Available at: https://youtu.be/yjYrxcGSWX4

Schwartz , S. (no date) The Hidden Path to Creativity| , YouTube TEDx Talks.
Available at: https://youtu.be/_K4YcaU5uqU

Seelig, T. (no date) A crash course in creativity, YouTube TEDx Talks.
Available at: https://youtu.be/gyM6rx69iqg

Stainton, B. (no date) How to be a more creative person, YouTube TEDx Talks.
Available at: https://youtu.be/kshboJxmU7k

Stompff , G. (no date) Speed up Innovation with Design Thinking, YouTube.
Available at: https://youtu.be/ZBxZC9I6xyk

Trainer Bubble (no date) Edward De Bono’s – Six Thinking Hats, YouTube.
Available at: https://youtu.be/O2y1QGCIzMw

Wardle, D. (no date) The Theory of Creativity , YouTube TEDx Talks.
Available at: https://youtu.be/_8MwiGYzlyg


Podcasts

At The Table (2020) 46. Problem solving and Pop Tarts, Spotify.
Available at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5bpKJlAG3d9OCnnkLwVtKd?si=HcJnSr8uSbij-JJD5Jy7sg

At The Table (2020a) 38. Why we innovate in a crisis, Spotify.
Available at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7e8fCEBp9qfT8sWi0JkYTm?si=vfr5M2LvQyq8ZnTEBbwdJw

At The Table (2022) 143. Innovation is offensive, Spotify.
Available at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7l85XCah1T2nekby5Omi9L?si=UppULY71QnK1MqtB_p_IDw

Bennett, S. (no date) Secrets of Highly Creative People Podcast, Spotify.
Available at: https://open.spotify.com/show/56VbvMOsp1GI8nEpJuaYHS

Brookes , D. (no date) Unlocking Creativity, Spotify.
Available at: https://open.spotify.com/show/7zRljTgLtsyyNY6BsjZoYR

Pizza, A.J. (no date) Creative pep talk, Spotify.
Available at: https://open.spotify.com/show/47vLbaJTqqLdeqnvjmyjaf

Rao, S. (no date) The Unmistakable Creative Podcast, Spotify.
Available at: https://open.spotify.com/show/2r3A5OrFH6RBw50t3w79Yj

Stinson, M. (no date) Your World of Creativity, Spotify.
Available at: https://open.spotify.com/show/7prVl21msMDCdLUWAX22kt

Taylor, J. (no date) Supercreativity podcast with James Taylor: Creativity, innovation and inspiring ideas, Spotify.
Available at: https://open.spotify.com/show/3dsKRHedQNrUocoSYhJ07T

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