E-learning & Face to Face
Mental health awareness workshops
Staff well-being
Forum Theatre
Creative Mental Health use this modal with two arms.
Meeting regularly with a group of people who have a lived experience of mental ill health and want to develop a positive change to social stigma and a greater awareness of how others can help. Offering opportunities for employment in supporting the delivery of training as role play actors.
Forum theatre has a powerful way of developing managerial and supervisory skills when an employee has been struggling or experienced a difficult period that has been effecting their work. We encourage open learning in a non-judgemental environment that allows a discussion and ‘doing’ to fully encompass an enriching learning experience that will stay with a person long after the training day
‘Forum Theatre’ originally called ‘the theatre of the oppressed’ was designed by Augusto Boal in the 1960’s in Brazil. During this time, the people of Brazil were not allowed to express an opinion over politics. Augusto Boal’s system of street theatre would let the public discuss their feelings and views without fear of punishment by the authorities. The performance involves a discussion point and interaction between audience and performer. When the play runs through for the second time, any member of the audience (‘spect-actor’) can take the place of one of the characters, showing how they could change the situation to enable a different outcome. Several alternatives may be explored by different spect-actors. The other actors remain in character, improvising their responses.
Augusto Boal used this modal to give people freedom of speech using political issues as the focus of the play. Later he travelled to Sicily, using Forum Theatre to aid women’s rights and help give them a voice. Today Forum Theatre is used across the globe in corporate training and universities.