Culture, Arts and Refugees

Project Focus:

Future and Fortune were the names given to two drama groups set up to give traumatised youngsters an opportunity to explore and voice their hopes, fears and frustrations with a system they sometimes found hard to comprehend and deal with; to help them develop communications skills, self-awareness and self-confidence; and to develop pride in their cultural heritage and their ability to create.

Background:

Pan Centre for Intercultural Arts is an arts organisation that specialises in the use of diverse cultural activities as part of social change and personal development. The Pan Centre was invited by The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture to see if their skills were suitable for weekly sessions with the children and young people.

Participants:

Two groups of children and young people aged 8-12 and 18-25 years

Activities:

The project was taken out of the Foundation into another venue, and activities were developed which aimed to be reactive to participants’ needs – to enable them to find ways of interacting between themselves and wider society, and to explore issues of conflict. Participants took part in weekly activities and exercises to increase their expressive skills and confidence, with more intensive sessions during holiday periods.Theme-based improvisations were developed around conflict resolution, hopes and fears. These were distilled into texts and video that were performed for family and friends initially, then more publicly. The older group had problems with interpersonal skills, so role-play and creative writing on behaviour were used to develop their social skills and interaction with peers.Youngsters were encouraged to get involved in the process of developing work and to take responsibility. The younger group contained participants with high levels of Attention Deficit Disorders so activities were developed using a lot of group and teamwork. Other activities included a residential by the sea and a day at the Southbank Centre in London,which helped children and their families to experience new places and situations.

Outcomes:

• Participants gained social skills, learned interdependency, interactivity, and respect.
• Gain a sense of responsibility and learned how to see a piece of work through from creation to production.
• Has given participants kudos among their peers.
• Helped to give participants a clearer understanding of their own situation and experiences.
• Developed their confidence, communications skills and voices.
• Helped the groups form new friendships.
• Developed their interest and experience of other cultures.
• Helped address chauvinist male attitudes within the older group.
  

Sources:

Research interview with project director. Video of activities. Video interview with project director.

Contact details:

Pan Centre for Intercultural Arts

52 Foundling Court
The Brunswick Centre
Marchmont Street
London
WC1N IAN
Tel: +44 (0)207 833 2111
E: post@pan-arts.net
www.pan-arts.net