Training in service June 2013 - description

TRAINING-IN-SERVICE COURSE

ABOUT

Invisible-Theatre as a tool to provoke a discussion in a public space

Introduction

Activists or members of human rights association often face the indifference of people in public space when they are trying to sensitize them about a specific social issue.

Public space is a place where usual people stand or pass on and adressing an action to them sometimes aims to get in touch with people who usually don't know the topic, don't come to meetings or conference, don't think like activists think.

If the strategy is interesting, the tools are different: sometimes activists use performance, street theatre, puppets, public speech like Hydepark corner, Flash Mob or other active interventions. Among them, a special place has the Invisbile-Theatre, a technique coming from the Boal's method, also known as Theatre of the Oppressed (www.theatreoftheoppressed.org), a method for popular education and emancipation, that is getting an increasing attention because it is a socratic/maieutic way that empower groups and individuals.

Invisible-Theatre is a theaytre action in public space, invisible, that is not declared as theatre. A group of actors play a strange action, breaking the social rules ina way to get the attentioon without make it discovered as theatre, as fiction.

But how to create an effective action?

What kind of role should we prepare?

How to attract people's attention?

How to develop the debate and not a trivial Candid camera?

These are answers that we'll try to deal with during the training, thanks to the participants's experience and the trainer's.

Roberto Mazzini has more than 20 years of experience in this method with several kinds of adult and youngster groups and has contacts with several groups using the same method.

Contents of the training were defined in this way:

1) asking partner organizations all over Europe, especially Pa'tothom (Spain), GTO-PELE (Portugal), ATIC (France), Artemisszio (Hungary), Action Aid (UK), ApsArt (Serbia), Association of Drama Practitioners STOP-KLATKA (Poland), Fundatia Umanitara Rescue (Romania), Association Kàddu Yaraax (Senegal), VAT Theater Forum Theater Group (Estonia), HEMAYAT (Austria), La Xixa Teatre (Spain), Teater Phantastisk (Sweeden), Leesmij Teater (Neederlands).

2) asking our local partners we are working with, since longtime, about this specific issue.

Preparation

1) First we will publish on our website all detailed information about the course and all necessary forms and documents.
2) To those who would like to apply we will ask to send a first application form and a curriculum vitae in European format (where they will also have to point out their linguistic knowledge). We need these information in order to carry on a potential selection aimed at creating a homogeneous group, suitable for the objectives of the course.
3) After the selection and the definitive registration, we will send to all participants information and schedule about the event and its logistic aspects.
Together with the registration form we will ask the participants to fill in both a question form about their needs and expectations, and a questionnaire of self-assessment regarding one’s own skills, in order to make the event as similar as possible to their requests, especially those made by individuals with disabilities or with particular needs.
4) Before the beginning of the course a basic reading list (in Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese) will be suggested to participants to prepare themselves to the training.

5) Participants will also be asked to prepare a presentation about themselves, their professional context and their culture. The presentation can be made also by multimedia devices or in other forms. It will be used during the first meeting, but it will also be available on the web to the other participants so that they can have a preliminary knowledge of the group they are going to be part of.
6) To all participants will be accessible our website with material about the different aspects of the course (organizational, theoretical, articles from teachers and other collaborators...).
7) Participants are required to have some experience in using Boal's techniques and to know the Boal's method as a whole.

They are also requested to speak English at intermediate level.

Objectives

1) The concrete goal is to co-build up some Invisible-Theatre actions to be played in town.

2) Moreover we want to better understand the complexity of this work and to share the key point and contents to be cared.

This objective will be curry out through several activities (short classes, experience comparisons, theatre exercises, improvisations, group works and discussions, performance…) which allow participants both to learn and to bring their experiences in this event; our principle of teaching is based on “learning by doing approach” and on “mutual teaching”.
Participants will have the opportunity to acquire technical and practical knowledge through a methodology based on team work, discussions and elaboration using also a method called “action learning” (practical exercises and simulations).
We'll try to answer together: what is a good structure of a Invisible-Theatre action? What are our limits in this and doubts? What are the criteria we need in order to be more effective? How to deepen the reflection from the audience, with a good action?

3) The cooperation among the participants is itself a big goal to pursue since a transnational overview can supply an adequate answer about how to debate an hot issue in a public space. Sharing experience from different countries will help each of us to be more effective in our work.
4) We also want to strength the European collaboration among people practising T.O. in different contexts but unified by similar theatre-pedagogical approaches.

Methodology

• The methodology used is Theatre of the Oppressed (Boal's method) based on the total involvement of all participants, also thanks to laboratory practice which will provide a group process concretely operable right away, created in order to promote the learning process, following a methodology called “Action Learning”. Participants will be active protagonists since they will live an educational experience centred on the experimentation of their own ability.

• Also we'll use some debate in order to deepen the theoretical knowledge of Invisible-Theatre and some specific topic the group will choose.

• Self-education through multimedia devices, or learning from people of the same level are common and even more widespread than formal education.

During the whole course according to the different phases will be used:
- the same theatre techniques that they have to learn, by experiencing them directly on themselves.
- discussions about the workshop experience (on theory, method and related techniques).
- sharing and working out the emotions experienced during the workshop.
- group work on project planning.
- theoretical and methodological follow up of the course experience.
- evaluation at the end of every day and final evaluation at the end of the course.
 

A tutor will be available to support individuals in all needs they could have before, during and after the training concerning the course (organisation, contacts with trainers, accommodation...).

Outcomes
After the course participants are expected to:
- be able to prepare and lead an Invisible-Theatre action within a project about social issue, to provoke a debate among spectators.

Participants

The training is open to every person working in adult education: teachers, animators, educators, social workers, psychologists, volunteers, theatre practitioners, both operating in formal and informal education.

Particularly appreciated people with experience in Theatre of the Oppressed.

Participants are required to have some idea about what is Theatre of the Oppressed.

Limits: maximum 1/3 of participants from every single country.

Intermediate level of English is required; it is possible some short summary/translation into French or Spanish.

Searching balance between male and female.

Admitted also some people who will to work in this field with these methods at maximum 1/5 of participants.

Evaluation

• Daily we will ask comments about the program and the activities of the previous day

• daily we'll ask participants to evaluate their own personal and professional growth

• an evaluation and a satisfaction form will be given the last day concerning:

- group dynamics

- trainers' competence

- contents, method and techniques learned

- general organisation before and during the training

- accommodation

- general programme.

Follow-up

Participants could profit of distance learning activities, e-mail contacts with trainers, self-evaluation of learning after the training event, peer networking. In particular:

- participants will have the possibility to use the collective creation of the Invisible-Theatre action, to adapt it in order to create some actions in their local environment.
- The methods shared and explored and the bibliography given will allow the participants to complete and improve their educational path.
- At the end of the event, participants will have the possibility to keep in touch with their teachers and with the other participants by a mailing list already activated before the course itself starts. It will give them the opportunity to broaden the themes of this course and keep on learning, thanks to the inter-cultural exchange.

- further books and articles to deepen the issue and contacts with some other practitioners all over in Europe and in the world will be suggested by trainers.

- Our website will host writings about theory and methodology (from teachers) and about experiences (from other people involved in the issue: participants, other experienced people, teachers, Giolli’s members...).

- the chance to have further trainings at Giolli or some other similar group in Europe that we are in touch with (Sweden, Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Neederlands, Portugal, Spain, etc.) will be given to participants.

- the chance to have supervised their own practice by trainers (directly or by video ) will be given.
- a support to start a network of mutual help among participants will be given as well.

- About four months after the end of the course we will ask participants to write a report about the effects the course has had on their effectiveness and on their operating and territorial context, pointing out possible implementations.

They will be asked:

--- how they are using elements learned in the training

--- which kind of further reflections arose

--- how are they using materials produced, in order to stimulate a further training.

Also forms of self-assessment about their own interventions will be sent.

PROGRAMME OF THE TRAINING ACTIVITIES (DAY BY DAY)

IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE TRAINING:

ENGLISH:

• Arrival day

Participants welcome and accommodation.

Welcome dinner.

• 1^st day

“Training opening and introduction - Technical-practical laboratory”.

Trainers: Roberto Mazzini and some participants.

Goals: 1) knowing each other by a self-presentation of one's own work/institution/profession/context. Sharing expectations. Creating a group atmosphere able to prepare to further work together.

2) To share Theatre of the Oppressed theory.

Methods: 1) practical exercises, video, self-presentation and discussion. 2) Sharing proposal and debating.

Contents: 1) self presentations 2) topic brought by participants.

Questions: 1) who are we? 2) What issues are interesting to us?

• 2^nd day

“Training - Technical-practical laboratory”.

Trainers: Roberto Mazzini and some participants.

Goals: to work out some scene.

Methods: warming up exercises, rehearsal technique, devising dramaturgy, improvisation, group work.

Contents: topic brought by participants.

Questions: What is public space? What are the rituals to break down?

• 3^rd day 4^th day 5^th day

“Training - Technical-practical laboratory”.

Trainera: Roberto Mazzini and some participants.

Goals: to analyse and deepening the actions prepared.

Methods: analysing the structure, the role, the starting point. Image-Theatre. Rehearsal techniques. Group work.

Contents: topic brought by participants.

Questions: how to improve the theatre actions?

(around the 4^th day we'll stop for half a day to let people to rest or to visit the surroundings or to reflect about the process).

• 6^th day

“Training - Technical-practical laboratory”.

Trainers: Roberto Mazzini and some participants.

Goals: Ending of the process. Evaluation of the process and outputs and sharing future perspectives.

Methods: different active techniques of evaluation and preparing the future.

Contents: the process lived, the future.

Questions: How was the training for me at both personal and professional level? How to apply that in the future?

• Departure day

Consignment of course material.

Departure.

This schedule could be changed following the group reactions, desires, interests, in agreement with participants. Our method implies to be more connected with the group dynamics than with the scheduled activities, in order to be more effective with the real human process.

Daily Schedule:

9.30-12.30 Training

12.30-14.30 Lunch and rest

14.30-17.30 Training

17.30-20.00 Informal time to socialize, relaxing...

After Dinner: informal socialisation or extra course event.

(every session will have breaks if required by participants; a short translation/summary also into Italian, French or Spanish is available at the moment whether some participants would need it).

Extra course event will be chosen in agreement with participants among:

--- meeting with Giolli's staff and associations that operate in the field of social action and/or by using T.O. method.

--- invitation to local institutions, no-profit organisation and journalists.

--- free time to visit the town or surroundings

--- other participants' proposals.

TYPE OF CERTIFICATION OF ATTENDANCE AWARDED

IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE TRAINING:

Certificate of attendance including description of training, contents and time input.

11. INFORMATION ON COURSE SESSION/S

SESSION

DATE OF START:

03/06/13

TIME OF START:

09:30

DATE OF END:

08/06/13

TIME OF END:

17:30

Deadline for registration:

03/05/13

HOST INSTITUTION EQUAL TO ORGANIZER INSTITUTION:

NAME OF HOST INSTITUTION:

Ass. Kwa Dunia

STREET AND NUMBER:

Strada del Traglione 221

POSTCODE:

43022

TOWN / CITY:

Casaltone (Parma)

COUNTRY:

Italy

CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS COURSE SESSION, NAME AND TITLE:

Dr. Roberto Mazziini

TEL NR (COUNTRY CODE / AREA CODE / NUMBER):

0039-521-686385

FAX NR (COUNTRY CODE / AREA CODE / NUMBER):

0039-521-686385

EMAIL:

segreteria@giollicoop.it

IDENTIFICATION OF THE TRAINER/S: NAME, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION, ROLE DURING THE TRAINING:
Roberto Mazzini (psychotherapist – trainer)

Massimiliano Anzivino (psychologist - tutor)

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS ENVISAGED:

25

FEE IN € FOR ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS INCLUDING:

300,00 (in Casaltone only)

Accommodation only

Accommodation & breakfast

Accommodation, breakfast and 1 meal

X

Accommodation & all meals

None of these

COURSE FEE IN €
(TUITION AND MATERIALS):

550

*The prices included in the database are binding maxima and the participants cannot be charged more than these amounts.

CANCELLATION FEE IN € (WHERE APPLICABLE):

200.00

CANCELLATION RULES:
After approval from LLP National Agency we'll ask participants to confirm their participation by sending 200,00 Euro as deposit sum. If the course would be cancel by Giolli the entire sum will be given back, in opposite case Giolli will keep the deposit if the person cancel his subscription after 28 days before the course begin.

PROVISION FOR SPECIAL NEEDS:

Yes

DETAILS OF SPECIAL NEEDS PROVISION (IF PRESENT):
A questionnaire given before the course start will gather individual specific needs as diet, disabilities, religious needs, etc.

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THIS COURSE SESSION:
The price for accomodation concernes the structure in Casaltone owned by Associazione Kwa Dunia. Giolli can provide accomodation in B&B with higher prices.