GAP 24/7 Project
(working with young people at risk)

Project Report Jan 2003

"In December we enjoyed a successful performance by the C.O.P.Y (Cwm Ogwr Project for Youth) group in Ogmore Vale. After working with the young people over several months, using forum theatre techniques, the group produced a piece of theatre looking at issues of bullying, isolation, difficult family relationships and unwanted sexual attention.

The performance was at the C.O.P.Y Centre and stimulated lively debates and interaction with an audience of peers, in a fun, productive and safe environment. Work with 'work related' year 10 pupils at Ogmore Comprehensive school came to the end at the start of this term with a performance in front of year 8 pupils exploring ways of resisting peer pressure and keeping your friends. Again there were very positive responses to this from all involved.

Video GAP 24/7 projects are busy working with the Bridgend ISSP intensive support and supervision project, working in partnership with the Youth Offending Team to offer one-to-one and group work and using video to explore issues, dilemmas, and working on self portrait video diaries with each young person on the project.

New video projects coming up include a project with young re-offenders in the youth wing at Parc Prison in Bridgend, a film about car crime with young offenders, working with victims of crime and digital media workshops at Aberkenfig PRU and Bridgend AMP (Advocacy and Mediation Project).

The Spring term sees the beginning of a very busy Forum Theatre workshop timetable. Networking with the Neath Youth Access Initiative has created the opportunity to work with young people aged fifteen and over who have been excluded from mainstream education, and we are also working in the Pupil Referral Unit in Port Talbot.

Linking in with the Youth Focus team has enabled us to begin work with young people at risk of exclusion at 5 of the schools in the Borough of Bridgend. These include: Pen Coed, Ynysawdre, Archbishop, Maesteg and Porthcawl Comprehensive Schools. Outreach Community GAP 24/7 projects for this term include working with young people who live in Betws, Young Carers, NCH, Llynfi Valley 16-25 Project, Caerau Girls Project, and anti-bullying initiatives.

All the projects are aiming to use forum theatre, video and discussion in order to build relationships within the groups and on a one-to-one basis, and develop confidence, communication and listening skills. Each group and project participant will decide what issues they want to explore in each art form and whether they want to present a forum theatre piece or show their film at the end of the workshop to peers or a community audience."

Deri Steele Morgan and Delyth Harries, GAP 24/7 Project Forum Theatre Development Workers

Funded by The Arts for All Lottery and The Youth Justice Board.

Agora

Valley and Vale joined Theatr Fforwm Cymru at the Welsh Assembly Government in Cardiff on 5th February 2003 to launch the Agora report. This report campaigned for legislative theatre as an important tool for promoting and instigating change.

This event follows Theatr Fforwm Cymru's Agora event in Cardiff 2002 which involved many different groups from Wales using forum theatre to address issues that affect their communities and lives, with discussion focus groups which drew up proposals for legislative change after each performance. Valley and Vale worked with young people from Bridgend at the Agora on a piece about self-esteem and health issues, which in the report is campaigning for change to help the problems, including bullying schemes, accessible family therapy, access to knowledge via free school internet cafes, peer based support and more tv campaigns to promote awareness and information.

'East Meets West' Estonian Cultural Exchange
GAP 24/7 Project

Deri Steele Morgan, one of our Forum Theatre Development workers with the GAP 24/7 Project, returned from our exchange visit to Estonia in May 2003. Taking 9 young people from Bridgend and the Valleys to share their stories, cultures and lives, using theatre, dance and music with other young people from Denmark, Estonia and Germany to create a piece of theatre which toured around schools in Tallinn, she touched down and wrote us this report:

Deri: "I've literally just come off the plane so these are my first thoughts of my first visit to Estonia. It's not often that an opportunity like this arises for a group of young people to meet others from such different cultures.

The groups compared the differences and similarities between their lives in Wales, Denmark, Estonia and Germany and everyone threw themselves into the workshops and performances in forum theatre, breakdancing, music and singing. It was really challenging and we learnt to communicate across 4 languages which was amazing.

I would love to go back one day and we would like to bring some the groups back to Wales next year for an international summer arts camp, maybe linking up with the United Nations Youth Service volunteers to build on the strong 'East meets West' partnerships we've made. Thanks to all the funders and sponsors that made the trip possible too - we wouldn't have been able to go without your support".