Projects working with children with life threatening or limiting illnesses &
their families 2004
Bristol MD Group Film in a Day
7th February
Another film making day for young people with neuro-muscular disorders and their
siblings. This time the group opted for making a retro style horror movie. So utilising a
range of masks and as much gooey red stuff as we could get our hands on the group
told the story of an old abandoned community centre with a dark history, including a
group of teenagers, a very mad professor, a pack of hungry zombies, one all round
bad criminal mastermind and the ghost of a young girl….
“Part of Us Forever” Launch
February
February saw the launch of the final fruits of one of our biggest projects of 2003 – the
“Part of Us Forever” video devised & made with teenagers with cancer & leukaemia
who wanted to share their experiences in a moving & funny collection of interviews &
surreal fantasies, to help other young people on diagnosis. Since the three premiers
across Devon at the plough Arts Centre in Torrington, the Phoenix Arts Centre in Exeter
& Theatre Royal TR2 in Plymouth, the video has proved immensely successful & has
been distributed across the country from Cornwall to Scotland.
To obtain your copy for a mere £15, get in touch!
Terrific Tuesday Group Siblings Day
Matford Lodge, Exeter, Devon , UK
13th March
A day long interactive consultancy with siblings of children who have life limiting or
life threatening illnesses & who a part of Exeter University‟s Terrific Tuesdays Group,
about what challenges they saw themselves facing & what activities they‟d like in the
future.
SPOCC (Society of Parents of Children with Cancer) Conference
Birmingham, UK
April
An especially commissioned performance for this conference of parents of &
professionals with young people with cancer & leukaemia. Our show took the
audience through the journeys of a couple of families & their children from diagnosis
through treatment & in some cases recovery, in some cases relapse & in some cases
death, in a performance that was funny as it was moving, we hope.
In addition to our performance, our “Part of Us Forever” film made with teenagers
with cancer & leukaemia from Devon was shown as part of the conference, & we
also ran a workshop exploring how drama techniques can be used to help young
people & families explore the complex issues around life threatening illnesses.
“Wolf + Water played a large part in the National Conference being such a success.
Without exception, your sensitive production was well received; indeed without it the
conference would have been SO much poorer” SPoCC Co-ordinator
Children’s Hospice South West
Activity Days – Bristol, Plymouth, Exeter.
May – June
A series of multi arts days with a variety of siblings. Great kids, but sadly not an
organisation we would consider trying to work with again.
Dogwarts Comprehensive School of Witchcraft & Wizardry
Beaford Residential Centre
August
Time for our annual weekend of artist fun & chaos for young people aged from five to
fourteen who have cancer & leukaemia & their siblings from Wonford & Derriford
Hospitals. This year the Beaford Centre was transformed into Dogwarts School of
Witchcraft (the comprehensive version of Hogwarts) in which the Headmaster,
Professor Mumblebore is facing a problem – magic no longer seems to be working in
the school (not even David Blaine nor Derren Brown who‟ve also arrived for the
course seem to be able to do anything..) & with an imminent inspection from the
Ministry of Magic, is closure inevitable…?
Over the course of the weekend, using drama, music, puppets, video, painting, mask
making & sculpture the young people managed to create a convincing recreation
of magic to save the school, but were also through the themes of loss of power,
dealing with decline & yet retaining hope, were able to explore some of the pertinent
issues around their own situations.
“…just wanted to say thanks to all involved in the weekend for making it a quite
remarkable experience.” participant
“…very successful…. The children all got very engrossed… the ending around loss
and moving on was very powerful and a really excellent twist.” Malcolm Sargent
Social Worker
The MD Lads Film
Treliske Hospital, Cornwall, UK
August
(in conjunction with Effervescent Theatre)
A three day residency with five teenage lads with Muscular Dystrophy from across the
South West to make a series of short films about their interests & concerns. The
resulting films ranged from the adventures of Motorized Wheelchair Man whose
attempts to save the world are thwarted by the amount of steps & stairs there are to
some Formula One style wheelchair racing.
Conflict Management & International Development Projects 2004
Working with Refugees & Conflict Training Course
Bristol, UK
January 13th -14th
A two day training course for Community Theatre Practitioners working with ACTA in
Bristol. The aim of the training was to share with some of the ACTA team a number of
Theatre exercises and games which have particular value when working with refugee
groups and people experiencing some form of transition. Much of the time was spent
taking the group through a range of experiences and then having discussions about
potential adaptations to fit the needs of different groups.
NDC Kosovo Conflict Management Course,
22nd – 26th January
Ohrid, Macedonia
A two and a half day seminar for the Nansen Dialogue Projects centres in Kosovo. It
was held in Ohrid Macedonia. People between the ages of eighteen and twenty five
were collected from all over the region, and brought together to look at issues
surrounding conflict management. The situation in the region was particularly tense at
the time of the work and this was reflected in the response of the participants who
came from Albanian and Serb communities. Added to this challenge was the fact
that the last day would only consist of three hours work due to transport logistics.
Essentially the time involved the cultivation of new and different reference points. The
mood of the group was very tender due to the situation, and the work therefore was
more about giving people a chance to experience each others company and
gently begin to talk about their experiences.
Community Development Training for the Caucases
Danish Refugee Councuil
31st January – 7th February
Tbilisi, Georgia
Five day training for trainer course for the Danish Refugee Council Tbilisi Georgia. This
seminar was set up to establish and begin to develop a team of trainers who are
belong to various NGO‟s in the CRINGO (a pan Caucasian network supported by the
Danish Refugee Council). The idea was to consolidate a core of committed people
who could be a resource for the network and deliver interactive workshops over the
region. Participants came from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Southern Russia and Georgia.
The concept of interactive learning was explored along with the delivery of a tool kit
of games and exercises. Wolf and Water were invited to work on this event by the
Centre for Conflict Management in Oslo.
Arrow Conference
College of St Mark & St John,
Plymouth, Devon, UK
February
A presentation for this one day conference on conflict & community development on
the role of theatre & arts in conflict & post conflict situations.
Conflict Resolution & Mediation in a School Setting
Elvebakken School Training Days
London, UK, Oslo, Norway
March
Two inputs into this group of teenagers from a central Oslo multi cultural secondary
school in order to work with them on issues of conflict psychology that they could use
in their conflict management work within their school environment.
Project Design to Promote Human Rights
Nansen Dialogue Group
Nansen Academy, Lillehammer, Norway
March
A three day residency working with young professionals from across the Former
Yugoslavia in order to look at how to design projects in wide variety of community
sectors – education, media & politics – that could promote the realistic
implementation of human rights. Against the background of a suddenly deteriorating
situation of riots & civil unrest in Kosovo / Kosova, this was a far from straightforward &
often very tense project.
Drama & Theatre in Conflict Management Work
College of St Mark & St John,
Plymouth, Devon, UK
March
A one day input to the theatre in the community course introducing ideas &
examples of how drama & theatre can be used to address conflict.
Community Development Training for the Caucases
Danish Refugee Council
March 20th -27th
Tbilisi, Georgia
The second training course for the CRINGO network Gori Georgia. The birth place of
Stalin was the venue for the second input with CCM into the development of the
training team. There were a number of familiar faces along with some new
participants from the disputed regions of Georgia (Ossetia and Abkhazia). The
process of developing and strengthening the team continued, with an emphasis this
time on designing training events and recruiting participants.
Drama & Arts for Inter Ethnic Education,
University of Skopje, Macedonia
April 26th- 30th
The first visit this year to deliver a five day workshop for the students of the academic
faculty ay the university of Skopje Macedonia. This seminar was part of our on going
involvement with Children‟s Theatre Centre. The work was delivered with Tanja
Popovich from the Belgrade Nansen centre, and explored interactive methodologies
in the context of mixed ethnic groups.
Duplo Dno Inter ethnic theatre project
Bosnia
May 11th -29th June
A six week residency in Banja Luka and Prijedor in Bosnia. A piece of theatre was
devised with a mixed group of young people from the communities of northern
Bosnia. The process started with four conflict management seminars which addressed
a range of themes and challenges pertinent to young people in the region. After the
short workshops were over the participants were given the opportunity to take part in
the devising and performing of a piece of theatre. Thirty young people participated.
The show which ended up being called Duplo Dno (double bottom, a local saying for
a falsehood or a con), and was shown in Sanski Most (a Bosniak town in the
Federation) Kosarac, a Bosniac community in Republika Srpska, and Prijedor, a mainly
Serbian town. This process involved taking you people into areas they had not visited
before. In total nearly seven hundred people saw the show, it was attended by a
cross section of the community and some key politicians.
Nansen Dialogue Summer School
Nansen Academy
Lillehammer, Norway
June
Three days working with a further group of journalists from across the Former
Yugoslavia, exploring how the media can actively play a role in promoting human
rights & peaceful community development.
CRINGO Network Training
Yerevan Armenia, Vladikavkaz Russia
July16th-23rd.
Follow up seminars for the CRINGO network. The development of the trainers went
into a new phase with them delivering workshops in co facilitation with Wolf and
Water. The groups included Ngo workers from Dagestan and Chechnya, North and
South Ossetia, and Armenia. All of these regions are experiencing some form of
tension, and the work was both challenging and exciting. An additional piece of
work was delivered for sixty Armenian teachers, this unplanned workshop went on
into the night and looked at the value of using „image‟ and projection work with
groups experiencing transition, trauma and change.
Nordic Mediation Forum Preparation
Stockholm, Sweden
August 17th and 18th
Preparation meetings for the Skovde conference working with Stockholm
Improvisation Theatre to create a basic plan of the conference, and to share our
experience & approaches with a range of Theatre/Conflict management workers
from across Scandinavia.
Nordic Mediation Forum
Skovje, Sweden
September
Wolf + Water “fooled” this three day conference of mediators, social scientists &
conflict management professionals from across Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland &
Iceland, as well as running workshops on the use of theatre in exploring conflict. A
bizarre but worthwhile event involving such surreal moments as being crammed into
a taxi with middle aged female Icelandic Social Workers & discovering what was in
the Bishop of Upsala‟s shoe. We would also like to unreservedly praise the members of
the Swedish Secret Service, who, having not been told that a Wolf + Water actor in a
mask & hunting jacket would be leaping onto the stage immediately after the
speech of the Swedish Justice Minister, drew their weapons but were thankfully not of
the “shoot first ask questions latter” school of protection…
“It was great to meet you – and I put the Fool into my bag in the last session.” Karin
Sten Madsen, Center for Victims of Sexual Assault, Copenhagen
Conversations with Russia Conference
British Council
Istanbul, Turkey
September 9th -11th
Wolf and Water inputted into this event due to our ongoing programmes of work in
both Russia & the Former soviet Union states & through our inclusion in the British
Councils „Arts for Community Development register‟
Little Star Psychologist Training
Centre for Peace & Community Devlopment
Baku Azerbaijan
12th -16th October
A five day seminar continuing our training & supervision for these psychologists who
work with children traumatised by war in Chechnya that we have now worked with
over six years with. Due to the events in Belsan a month previous the Little Star
counsellors could not travel to the Ukraine, so the training retreat was held in Baku
Azerbaijan. The events of the last year including the assassination of the Chechnyan
president has made more tense an already difficult situation. The five days were used
to give the participants an opportunity to express their responses, and share ideas
about how to react usefully when their work is suspended or interrupted. In addition
new games and activities were shared, which may have value at the Centres in
Chechnya and Ingushetia
Nansen Dialogue Centre Banja Luka
Duplo Dno Follow Up Seminar
10th November -17th November
Follow up meeting and planning session with NDC Banja Luka. This was a chance to
meet with the group who had taken part in the Prijedor theatre project earlier in the
year. Two days of workshop were held, the main aim being to ascertain whether or
not there was an appetite for another such project. There was.
CRINGO Network Training
Armenia
November 21st 24th
Follow up and final workshop with the CRINGO team. This was once again facilitated
with Graham Dyson from The Centre for Conflict Management in Oslo. The time was
spent feeding back on the workshops which had been delivered over the summer,
adding to the manual which was being developed, and setting up useful simulations.
MEKON Training
Oslo
November
One day training course on the use of roleplay in Mediation for this network of Oslo
based mediators drawn from the Norwegian Prison Service, Conflict Councils & Legal
professions.
“Thank you for an interesting workshop today” Participant
“Everyone ecstatic about the workshop!” Organiser
Projects to Confront Offending Behaviour 2004
C-Far
Highhampton, Devon
February – November
C-Far is a residential programme for persistant offenders on release from prison whose
offending tends to be fuelled by drug addiction. Our work is to input into the
programme in using drama to help participants understand some of the background
& patterns to their addiction & offending, as well as providing an assessment for C-Far
staff.
North Devon Youth Offending Team
Barnstaple, Devon, UK
Throughout the Year
Various days on a monthly basis working with North Devon Youth offending team,
looking at issues surrounding anti social behaviour. These were sometimes difficult
days doing some exercises and games with some of Barnstable‟s most persistent
young offenders to explore issues of victim empathy, peer pressure & offending
behaviour. A large amount of time was spent trying to devise an inventory of
behaviours which have a negative effect on other people. We began to look at
interactions with the police, and had hoped to arrange a meeting with some of the
town‟s constabulary, but this was not to be.
MAD for it Education conference
Birmingham, UK
November 26th.
Wolf and Water were asked to give two short presentations that looked at the use of
drama methodologies with resistant groups at this conference aimed at people
working with difficult young people. The request was that the presentations were
interactive. After a few moments of apprehension the groups soon became involved.
Projects Working with Mental Health Issues 2004
St Loyes Dramatherapy Course Training
St Loyes College,
Exeter, Devon, UK
April
A one day input for the Dramatherapy students that explored the processes of
dealing with aggression & conflict.
Brownlees & Williams Acute Psychiatric Wards
Video Taster / Tester Sessions
North Devon District Hospital,
Barnstaple, North Devon, UK
May
We were invited to run a taster day in various art forms on the acute psychiatry wards
of North Devon District Hospital & had a great day using video & drama with a group
of patients to both have fun & to look at some of the on ward issues. This day was a
prelude to a longer on ward video magazine project to take place in 2005.
“Thanks so much for a great day”
“Really fun & interesting”
“Love you!”
Participant Feedback
North & East Devon Psychiatry Occupational Therapists Training Day
Crediton, Devon UK
June
Short training input for this group looking at dealing with resistant behaviours.
Plymouth Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service Consultancy Day
Clearwater, Devon, UK
October
Part of an ongoing relationship with this mighty team of 50 plus souls covering all the
disciplines within this difficult & challenging area of work – from Consultant
Psychiatrists & psychologists, art therapists, social workers, nurses & receptionists – the
day focused on exploring how this team could improve communication & provide an
even better service.
“Having been to a few tedious team days where everyone sits about with a flip chart,
I thought it was a breath of fresh air!...the exercises were good & thought provoking &
the facilitators were excellent”
“I really liked the generous & positive spirit that was cultivated & the light hearted &
acknowledging way the group went about this. I think this atmosphere contributed to
respectful discussion & understanding & listening, that has not happened on previous
team days” Participant Feedback
Projects Working with People with Learning Difficulties 2004
Acting For Attitude Bullying Show
Newton Abbot, Devon, UK
January
This project started in 2003 involving an integrated group of school children & adults
with learning difficulties culminated in a number of public performances of “Big
Brother‟s Little Experiment” which explored issues of bullying & tolerance.
MENCAP Roadshow Days
Barnstaple & Bideford, Devon, UK
June
A couple of one off days run for MENCAP to explore issues around the Governments
“Valuing People” White Paper.
“Thank you for everything you did to make the inclusion workshops so successful,
especially for running two excellent workshops” MENCAP
Silver Hill Lodge Drama Group
Barnstaple, Devon, UK
January – December
Regular weekly sessions with this group with whom we‟ve worked with over the last 15
years now! All our work this year has been doing groundwork looking towards at
“Silver Enterprise Theatre” production of “Beau Gest” in 2005… so our work included
various sand dances, mirage hallucination work (!) & lots & lots & lots of comedy
routines…!
Social Services Consultancies
Silver Hill Lodge Barnstaple & Old Rectory Centre, Bideford
August
In the light of the “Modernisation” of Day services that is taking place in North Devon,
we were asked to run two days of consultation with all the adults with learning
difficulties from across the North Devon & Torridge areas. Cue the “Café of Choices”
where our customers arrived & were taken through a process of thinking about &
deciding upon some of the activities that they might like to be involved in the future
from the Menu of Life… Whether the “Kitchens of Social Services” will turn out to be a
Jamie Oliver or a Pepsi Café affair remains to be seen…
“…Excellent session…very many thanks for what you’re doing.” Participants Parent
St Georges Day Centre & Woodfield Centre Drama
Plymouth, UK
August
A taster morning with adults with learning difficulties from St Georges Day Centre in
Plymouth; considering they thought that they were turning up to a mask making
workshop they adapted to a drama session wonderfully well!
In the afternoon we ran a shorter session for a group with more profound & complex
learning & physical disabilities & their staff. A truly lovely lot of folk throughout the day
with whom we hope to be working again in the future.
The VP Team Music Residencies
Old Rectory Centre, Bideford, Highbridge House Torrington & Silver Hill Lodge,
Barnstaple
September – October
Our largest project of 2003 was the devising & filming of the “Valuing People Team”
video, made with adults with learning difficulties from the Old Rectory Centre in
Bideford, exploring in an action movie style format (!) just what the government‟s
“Valuing People” White Paper means.
Throughout 2004 the six thirty minute episodes covering issues such as relationships,
personal safety, person centred planning & health have painstakingly (& we mean
painstakingly) edited together. We also wanted to provide an opportunity for those
who weren‟t part of the filming process to also be involved, this time by working
alongside a range of professional musicians (ranging from a jazz drummer to an
acapella singer) who‟d never worked with this type of group before to create a truly
original soundtrack for the video that will be finally released in 2005.
You can read a bit more about this project on the BBC website at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/community_life/features/vpt.shtml
See Ability Performance
Tiverton, Devon
September - October
Wolf + Water were commissioned to work with a range of staff, carers & clients of this
service that provides respite & activities for young people with visual impairments &
learning difficulties for their conference. With a group ranging from 6 to…well,
considerably older than 6, we ran a series of 4 weekend workshops involving drama,
dance & music to come up with a lovely little show that seemed to go down
extremely well.
“Thanks ever so much for all your efforts in making the drama such a brilliant success.
It has been terrifically well by people who use the scheme, their families, carers and
their families. I have lost count of the number of phone calls congratulating us on the
event.” See Ability Manager
Big Meal
Children Scotland
Edinburgh
November
A return to Edinburgh to run a further three day version of our ever popular training
course on using theatre & music with people with learning difficulties. Participants
came from special education services, social services, a host of voluntary
organisations & even the museum service & a great time was had by all!
“Thanks again for a fantastic course – I can’t believe I learnt so much in three days!
Participant feedback
University of Warwick Drama Department,
Coventry, UK
December
A brief workshop input into this degree level course on using drama with adults with
learning difficulties.
Working with Community groups & Community Issues 2004
Alcohol Awareness Work
North Devon, UK
January 16th-18th
A weekend residency for young people, using theatre to address issues around
substance abuse. The time was spent looking at realistic situations and scenarios
which have alcohol and drug implications. The event culminated with a short piece
of theatre for parents and drug educators. The show depicted a number of
challenges with regards to peer pressure and drinking.
Bethany House Drama & Arts Sessions
Exeter, Devon, UK
January - November
Bethany House provides supported housing for young women. We worked with this
group for 12 months providing weekly creative arts sessions in order to explore issues in
the young women‟s lives and develop creativity, self-esteem and confidence. The
forms and themes were chosen by the group, we did drama, mask making, puppet
making, painting and costume making. Through coming together and sharing, the
group helped to foster a sense of community in the house. Through the work we
created together the participants looked at their lives and their relationships to those
around them, the viewed the world they live in, and the effects of the media and
what we are told about ourselves on how we live our lives.
MAPP/E2E Employment Courses
East Devon College, Tiverton, Devon UK
Febuary
We were asked to input into this course aimed at helping young people to find
employment. This was a very challenging two days due to the disparate needs of this
group of young people during which we looked at interpersonal communication and
managing frustration. Towards the end of the second day the work broke down
completely and lead us to a very interesting debate about the relevance of abstract
work in helping to get a job.
The Leon Project
Oslo, Norway
February – March
We began this project in conjunction with the Leon Foster Care / Drugs Rehabilitation
programme & Persona Theatre back in November 2003, in an innovative attempt to
work at first separately with teenagers with severe heroin dependencies, their foster
carers & their birth parents. The initial residency with the Foster Carers was followed up
by a further residency with birth parents that explored their experiences, conflicts,
fears & sadnesses, & then a final residency that brought all three groups together to
work together.
Dealing with International Experiences
Fredskorpset
Bergen & Kongsberg, Norway
March – October
An ongoing series of one & two day workshops on this international development
exchange program for young professionals from Norway, Latin America, Asia &
Africa. Some of the nicest events we do, the work centres on working with the non
Norwegian participants to prepare themselves to be in Norway over an extended
period (i.e. how to remain standing on ice & develop a liking for fish) & to prepare the
Norwegians for an extended period beyond the fjords (i.e. surviving non sub zero
temperatures). And on the serious side, how to keep psychologically healthy when
under the stress of dealing with a different culture, & looking at issues such as home
sickness & culture shock.
“So clever…helping us to get in touch with our abilities to help us in various situations
in our lives. Very very funny & very very deep”
“An exceptional day – I learnt a lot – I just wish I could acquire just some of the skills
that the Facilitator applied today”
“Excellent! Towards end; he took a great challenge, and exemplified conflict solving
in the group, with great skills and the confidence of the entire group.”
“This will help me to be a better person. I could see my different behaviours and those
from others. I have learnt a lot and hope I can apply it”
Participant Feedback
Home Ground Pilots
April – June
Ilfracombe Junior School, Sticklepath School, Barnstaple, Langtree Junior School
In 2003 Wolf + Water were commissioned by the multi agency Devon Domestic
Violence Taskforce to create a video & workbook to educate 7 – 10 year olds around
issues of healthy relationships & domestic violence. This year we began to pilot the
programme in a number of Junior Schools in North Devon to see if it worked how it all
shaped up.
The finally programme will be rolled out across Devon throughout 2005-6.
Wolf + Water…”were particularly adept at running the programme & developing a
relationship with the children, which facilitated discussion & trust” Teacher
“I like the way (Wolf + Water) made it fun but you still learnt something…” Pupil
Music For Members of the Public
Barbican Theatre, Plymouth, Devon UK
July
Take six regular people from across Plymouth & West Devon, including a house wife, a
retired Salvation Army Officer, an ex Navy Irish story teller, a single mother from Bosnia
& an Iraqi Kurd poet, work with them over a number of weeks to extract their
remarkable stories – of meeting Indian Princesses, of daughters found & daughters
lost, of bridges & rivers & mix with poigniant images that could be projected to
illustrate these “True Tales Told Boldly”. Simultaneously take a selection of young
musicians from the area & work with them to devise & improvise music & sounds that
can be played live behind each of our storytellers telling their stories. Finally bring
everyone together at the Barbican Theatre for a memorable & moving evening,
probably unlike anything its audience had ever seen before.
Exeter Foyer Emotions Workshops
Exeter, Devon, UK
April - July
Continuing the work from the managing difficult emotions workshops in 2003 we a
twelve week series of workshops to further look at the effects of behaviour on the
young people‟s lives. We looked at the cognitive process involved in situations that
the young people found problematic and used dramatic techniques to develop
alternative strategies and thinking patterns for dealing with them. Through the
workshops the young people developed their communication skills, self-esteem and
confidence.
Positive Activities for Young People
Tiverton & Exmouth, Devon, UK
April on
We were commissioned by Connexions Devon and Cornwall to deliver this
programme during school holidays. The programme aims to work with vulnerable
young people, often excluded from mainstream education in Tiverton and Exmouth.
Drama and Arts Workshops in Exmouth worked to develop group work, creative skills
and build self-confidence, involved a range of arts activities including drama, music,
film and crafts. Projects included the making of a film exploring the experiences of
young people in Exmouth as they embarked on a variety of challenges in the style of
'Big Brother'.
Meanwhile, music and video projects in Tiverton worked with this group who‟d
developed a particular interest in Hip-Hop music. So the work focused on looking at
the development of the genre and the cultural and societal influences of hip-hop.
The workshops looked at graffiti, break dancing, dj-ing and mc-ing. The group
produced a cd of original music with an accompanying video, and planned and
held a presentation day for an invited audience.
Aim Higher – Tasters
South Devon , UK
July
We were asked to do 2 days of taster workshops by way of a consultation with young
people about their beliefs and feelings relating to higher education. The first day in
Paignton was disappointing because nobody came, even Wolf & Water can‟t
compete with beautiful sunshine and a day at the beech. The second of these days
was held in Torquay where we worked with 2 local youth groups Teen Network Torbay
(TNT) and The Chill‟d Out Youth Project young women‟s group. The 2 groups were
very different and each presented their own challenges. Both groups work with
drama to express what they thought higher education was like and to look at some
of the challenges and obstacles they may meet along the way.
Aim Higher – Link Education group
South Devon College, UK
September - December
A very challenging group of young people who had been excluded from
mainstream education. We worked together once a week throughout the summer
term. The sessions addressed the aspects of the anti-social behaviour the young
people displayed within the college environment and looked at dealing with the
frustration that often lead to that behaviour. Using a wide variety of techniques and
often thinking on our feet, the group created characters and looked at some of the
conflicts in the lives of these characters. The group examined the cognitive processes
involved in these situations and had the opportunity to try different ways of reacting
to problematic situations.
Harbour Centre – Sexual Health Outreach Project
Plymouth- Devon, UK
October – ongoing
We re-launched our work with this very chaotic group with a two day painting
workshop although attendance is still sporadic these sessions continue to provide a
valuable creative, personal and social space for these women.
Away Days Project
Newton Abbott, Devon, UK
November – December
Another 2 days input into this series of interventions with young people at risk of being
excluded from school. Our workshop concentrated on interpersonal
communications and alternatives to conflict.
Dorset Youth Project Residency
August
A week long residency with young people connected with a Dorset Secondary
school to train in drama & circus skills & present a public performance at the end of
the week
Youth Enquiry Service Kids on the Edge Group
Live Evaluation
Plymouth, Devon, UK
August
The Kids on the Edge Group is an ongoing brief intervention program run by the Youth
Enquiry Service for young people on the Social Services at risk register to look at issues
around healthy relationships & protective behaviours. We ran an afternoon of drama
activities based around giving a bunch of young people the opportunity to reflect
back on the program that they‟d just been through. More fun than filling in a form…
Positive Activities For Young People
Drama and Arts Workshops in Exmouth
A series of workshops for vulnerable young people, often excluded from mainstream
education. These workshops, aiming to develop group work, creative skills and build
self confidence, involved a range of arts activities including drama, music, film and
crafts.
Projects included the making of a film exploring the experiences of young people in
Exmouth as they embarked on a variety of challenges in the style of 'Big Brother'.
KOTE Club
Plymouth
October – December
…and then in the autumn, in conjunction with YES & Plymouth Theatre Royal‟s TR2
project we took over the program delivery for the KOTE club with a fresh batch of
amazing energetic 10 year olds who used drama & art to explore healthy
relationships, do unspeakable things with food, inspire us & generally left us feeling as
if we‟d just been run over by a large truk eachy week…
Theatre of Engagement
Children Scotland
November
A Edinburgh based three day training course for Youth workers, Special education
staff & artists looking at how to deliver drama & arts issue based works to young
people with challenging behaviour. This course was sold out three times over & will be
running again throughout 2005 in both Edinburgh & Glasgow. Contact Children
Scotland or see our website for details.
“It gave me confidence to try more drama with the young people that I work with &
inspired me to find out more”
Wolf + Water were…“Excellent, very fresh & very knowledgeable”
“An excellent course – the Facilitators were great”
“Fab – what other courses will Wolf + Water be delivering?”
Participant feedback
For Better or Worse
Devon Domestic Violence Taskforce
November
When the Devon Domestic Violence Taskforce asked us how we might deliver a
public awareness program around issues of healthy relationships across Devon as part
of their “Domestic Violence Awareness Week” we suggested a radio play. Jon
Nicholas‟s evocative & complex piece of writing “For Better or Worse” was produced
in conjunction with the BBC & put out as a “soap opera” series of episodes over the
course of the week as part of BBC Radio Devon‟s prime time out put.