Cut out black and white image of four teenage boys sat on a hillside

Our history

Powered by CAN founding team members

Founded in 2013 as Creative Academies Network, our original focus was on delivering support to address gaps in educational service provision for young people in schools in Sandwell in the Black Country. Over the years that followed, our projects, services and events grew to cover the culture and creative industries, health and physical activity, education, employment and enterprise, and community cohesion and citizenship. 

The recent COVID-19 crisis brought a huge amount of uncertainty and change which led us to review our strategic plans in 2021. Since then we have been developing our services not only across the Black Country but more widely both regionally and nationally.

animated powered by can logo

Powering positivity and potential!

To reflect our growth we decided to change our name to Powered by CAN. The name maintains a connection with our past whilst reflecting our new ambitions. We are powered both by where we have come from and by the positive energy and potential signified by the word ‘CAN’. We hope that the children, young people and young adults we work with will be able to harness their potential and, backed by us, will go on to achieve great things!