This is a regular, closed project for young refugees and asylum seekers aged 11-18 delivered at St Mark’s Academy in Mitcham and Sutton & District Training.

By giving space for self-expression through improvisation, movement and devising we support integration,  increase self-confidence, reduce isolation and engender a sense of belonging as well as having fun.

In summer 2021 the group at St Marks were asked to write down things they wanted to teach us in their own languages. We then helped them translate these phrases into English, and finally recorded them using a professional studio microphone. The results were phenomenal. Students were suddenly granted unprecedented agency, and we saw those who had previously been shy and sometimes disruptive, blossom into confident young adults with something to say. The audio can be listened to here:

The Sutton and District Training group spent the summer outside, having spent so much time isolated and confined due to the restrictions of the COVID pandemic. Sessions allowed them to get physical and rebuild connections with people they hadn’t seen for months as well as experience the beneficial effects of the outdoors.

At Rutlish school we provided an additional mentoring scheme to some year 12 students alongside the workshops, allowing them to learn from our facilitators. They were given the opportunity to lead some exercises within the sessions and learn more about the impact of drama on peoples wellbeing, confidence and emotional resilience. They were responsible for leading the final session of the series.

This film from 2017 is another example of the work we do

We’re always looking for ways of expanding this project. If you run or work with a group who you think would benefit from this project drop us a line.