active drama - active impact

active impact

every school has kids who are –

not contributing

excluded

unable to realise their potential

whether this is caused by their attitude to school, by peer pressure or by the wider pressures society places on young people – new and effective ways need to be found to reengage them with the wider community and help them to seek the positive future we are all entitled to.

working in partnership with rock ferry high school, active drama has just completed a successful nine-month pilot of “active impact”, a programme that has used the performing arts as a basis for working with young people failing in formal education.

this programme is based on respect. young people are accepted as young adults and training is combined with pastoral support. incredible results have been achieved with what would traditionally be labelled “difficult kids” - active prefers to think of them as special and in the words of one well known local figure offers them, perhaps for the first time a theoretical “big hug”, celebrating what they can do not preaching about what they can’t.

the opportunity now exists for this programme to be expanded and from september a limited number of places will be available for schools across the wirral who wish to work with active on further developing this success.

your school can now own a proven and popular alternative to exclusions and negative disruptions whilst setting young people on a positive future path.

interested and want to find out more contact brian mccann on 0151 652 0100 to arrange an early discussion meeting.

a unique project will allow young people to perform for young people and take part in discussions about issues affecting peers and those around them.

active impact is unique – it is a proven way of working which suits all young people irrespective of academic ability, often offering a real opportunity to those on the very boundaries of education.

it offers young people the chance to –

work in a professional capacity as actors

work alongside the active drama team

gain experience in a working environment

learn the practices of a theatre company

tour in a series of active drama plays

take an invaluable massages into schools

young people will be expected to -

make a real commitment to the company

show self-motivation and commitment to the job

design and implement a personal learning plan

they will gain

acting skills

personal and motivational skills within a workplace

assistance in making a decision about the next stage of their life

increase their chances of future employability

the plays, which are all interactive, will look at bullying, racism and drugs, truancy and teenage pregnancy.

how it works

the young people will participate in a series of skills workshops looking at characterisation, vocal skills and singing, stage skills, improvisation and music. alongside this will run a training programme concentrating on the day-to-day working rules and regulations of the company. from the above they embark a rehearsal process where they will be expected to learn lines, songs, and take direction for the forthcoming tour. each week participants will take part in team briefings, outlining the work in progress and the work ahead, and discuss the working of the group. they will then visit schools around the region performing once or twice a day.

participants will graduate from the programme with a greater understanding of their personal abilities, boundaries and needs within the workplace.