A former headteacher is using her three decades of experience in education and community leadership to help people across Sunderland feel more connected, confident and supported through creativity.
Nadine Lucas founded WAVES NE CIC in August 2025, following a career spanning 32 years in school leadership and community regeneration.
The Sunderland-based social enterprise provides accessible, community-focused wellbeing support, using creative activities, peer support and structured conversations to help people build confidence, reduce isolation and reconnect with themselves and others.
WAVES works with people who may feel isolated, unheard or disconnected from their communities, including those experiencing loneliness, low confidence, neurodivergence, bereavement, trauma, chronic health conditions and other barriers to accessing traditional support.
It also supports professionals and teams experiencing workplace stress, compassion fatigue and burnout through creative continuing professional development, reflective sessions and team wellbeing activities.
Nadine’s journey into social entrepreneurship followed her own experience of professional burnout and a major life change, which saw her relocate from Essex to Sunderland.
She had always used creativity, communication and counselling skills throughout her career, but after moving to the North East, she began reconnecting with her background in art and exploring how creativity could be used to support others.
A six-week peer-supported art therapy pilot for neurodivergent people proved to Nadine that there was a real need for the approach, with the impact she saw in some participants prompting her to develop the idea further.
Nadine said: “I had spent 32 years in school leadership and suddenly had to completely redefine myself and reinvent myself, as well as moving 300 miles and starting again.
“But the pilot showed me that this really matters and it really works. People might think it’s just about coming together and doing a bit of art, but actually it’s about the structured conversations, creating a safe environment and building relationships that really matter.
“For me, creativity is a really useful tool. It’s not about teaching art skills or necessarily producing a beautiful piece of work. It’s about community connection, bringing people together and helping people find their voice.”
Nadine was introduced to the North East BIC through recommendations and initially received support to develop a small enterprise around her glass artwork. This subsequently led to support from the BIC’s social enterprise team as she developed WAVES CIC.
The support has included market research, business guidance, workshops, networking opportunities and, importantly, having someone to act as a sounding board for ideas.
Nadine said: “The BIC has been hugely important because they helped me with the self-belief as well as the practical side. They helped me with the market research to understand that there really was a need, and having somebody as a sounding board for ideas and concepts, but also to give me structure and deadlines, has been really valuable.
“The workshops and masterclasses are always invigorating, and the connections are really important too. Having somebody at the end of the line who can say, ‘I was thinking about this, what do you reckon?’ and to get that creative dialogue is incredibly powerful.”
Since meeting with the BIC, WAVES has continued to build its presence within the local community, with Nadine recently securing confirmation to deliver two group sessions each week at Betsy Jenny’s Cafe.
The organisation will also deliver its ‘Together We Feast’ project in primary schools in the Houghton area, using creative activities to bring children together and explore connection and wellbeing.
WAVES has already delivered a range of creative community activities, including activities at Sunderland’s Radio 1 Big Weekend, as well as community art projects and events designed to encourage people of all ages to express themselves and connect with others.
The organisation’s work is deliberately flexible, allowing activities to be tailored to the needs of different groups, from young people and those living with dementia to professionals working in demanding roles.
Anneline Dowell, business adviser at the BIC, said: “Nadine is a fantastic example of how experience, passion and a strong social purpose can be turned into a sustainable social enterprise.
“WAVES CIC is addressing an important need within our communities by creating accessible opportunities for people to connect, express themselves and build confidence, while also recognising the pressure faced by professionals working in demanding environments.
“It has been fantastic to support Nadine as she has developed her idea and grown in confidence as a social entrepreneur. Seeing WAVES move from an idea into delivering regular sessions in the community and developing projects such as ‘Together We Feast’ demonstrated the real potential of the organisation and the impact it can have.
“Her vision for WAVES is ambitious, but it is rooted in a genuine understanding of the communities she wants to support, and we’re excited to see how the organisation continues to develop.”
Wear Together forms part of Sunderland City Council’s Business Support Programme and is funded by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority through its Integrated Settlement.
Learn more about the BIC’s social enterprise support here: https://www.ne-bic.co.uk/social-enterprise/