Current and past projects

Just a few of the projects I have been involved with recently...

reACT Drama with refugees and asylum-seekers

For 12 months, I was commissioned by REACT, a programme run by the Northern Refugee Centre, to work with a group of volunteers from the refugee and asylum-seeker community on devising a performance aimed at raising awareness about the issues that they, and others like them, face in this country. Drama enabled the group (who now call themselves reACT) to affirm themselves as citizens with rights and needs. Meeting weekly, we spent the first half of the project exploring different drama techniques, and raising the participants' confidence in performing, and the second half devising a piece of forum theatre which we performed at the Showroom and at three other venues during Refugee Week. The performance was based on the participant's different experiences of arriving and surviving in this country and the treatment they have received. It was a truly participatory project, in which planning and decisions were made collectively. As a result, the group feels really empowered and proud of their achievement. It was also a great opportunity for them to meet with others, make friends and talk about their experiences in a safe environment.

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'Worlds Apart, worlds together' - Creative Partnerships - Marlcliffe Community Primary School

I facilitated this Creative Partnerships Sheffield mini-project around the theme of 'India' with two Year 4 classes in Autumn '07 - Spring '08. We used different drama techniques to look at differences between cultures (and indirectly, differences between people in general) and to celebrate diversity. Using as a base the lead teacher's visit to an orphanage in Patna, India, we brought the experience alive by putting ourselves in real children's shoes. One of the main aims of the project was to train the teachers in using different creative approaches to delivering the curriculum and we feel this was very successful. They delivered the final two sessions alone very confidently.

'A Rainforest Drama' - Creative Partnerships - Tinsley Junior School

I worked with two Year 6 classes in the Autumn term 2007 as part of the Creative Partnerhips Sheffield's CARIS research programme within schools. Linking in with their literacy, geography and PSHE programmes, within the context of the rainforest, we aimed to explore whether drama could improve the speaking and listening skills of EAL (English as an additional language) children. 98% of the pupils at Tinsley Junior School have English as an additional language and so we focussed on non-verbal communication, group awareness, collaboration and reflection, and were able to show in our final report that drama is indeed a powerful tool! Using image theatre, rhythm-work, soundscapes and the creation of small flash-back scenes to gain a better understanding of our environment, many other unexpected learning outcomes were achieved. The project culminated in a very successful final assembly involving the two classes, which was put together as a collaboration between adults and pupils. The children were undeniably pleased with themselves!

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darts - Creative Strides - Improving access to enterprise

 Since January 2008 I have been working part-time at darts (Doncaster Community Arts) as Drama Artist on a project which aims to promote enterprising behaviour. It is part of a wider government Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) for which we deliver short-term (visual and drama) arts interventions with a diverse client group which includes: Ex substance misusers, people on long-term incapacity benefit, women's groups, refugees and asylum-seekers, people with mental health issues, and learning and physically disabled young people. So far, the focus has been on increasing confidence, and looking at issues of motivation and aspirations.

Playing Peacefully Together

A summer school project held at Firshill Primary School and funded by Burngreave New Deal for Communities. We deliver weekly sessions on conflict resolution to 5-13 year olds, some with special needs. We engage the children in games and exercises focussing on non-violent communication, team-work, problem-solving, listening skills and valuing ourselves. The pilot project will be continued into the autumn and spring terms and operate as an after-school club.

Creative Collaboration Project - SureStart - Manchester Education Partnership

For 15 months, I worked as Creative Collaborator in a SureStart Children's Centre in Manchester, ending in March 2008. With a total of 40 days contact time at the Centre and working in true partnership with staff and children, this was a unique opportunity to build up close and meaningful relationships. We used many of the ideas from the Reggio Emilia philosophy on pre-schools, focussing on child-led interests, giving the children the time and space to explore and experiment, and encouraging enquiring minds. We developed different story-making scenarios and stimulated children's imaginations through the provision of exciting resources, opportunities and our time. The staff have acquired new skills and learned different ways of promoting and responding to child-initiated play so that, hopefully, the intervention - now that it has come to an end - will have a long-lasting impact. 

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