TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Iwan Brioc
Building Dynamic Platforms for Transformation was the third in an annual training Theatr Cynefin have hosted in Wales. This time it brought together cultural youth workers from organizations that are members of the informal European network The Republic of the Imagination to learn and build with their own hands a Mongolian Yurt and study its construction and use as a youth work tool. The 3 objectives of the training were to build a yurt and learn how to build one; at the same time build a Context Oriented Theatre performance to be performed in the Yurt at the end of the week; and also to asses the value of such a process and such a space as a dynamic platform for transformation that can help young people to become creative citizens. Thematically the training focused on the development of sustainable rural living for young people and how art and culture are instrumental to that aim
The 8 day training was with 36 cultural youth workers from Wales, Romania, Estonia, France, Portugal, Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia.
The training was co-ordinated by Aleksandra Jones, Serbia. The Context Oriented Theatre process was led by Iwan Brioc, Wales and the yurt building was led by Gyuri Jakabfi, Hungary.
After a welcome meeting on arrival in Cardiff Bay the participants started work each morning at 9am prompt. On the first morning after an introductory session to the aims and objectives of the training they were asked to select which of the four following groups they were most interested in working (although it was made clear there would be a lot of overlap). 1. Yurt Builders 2.Scenographers 3.Choreographers 4.Directors. These roles were explained and once divided the Yurt Builders left to start building the yurt. The other three groups worked together over the following five days to develop a Context Oriented Theatre presentation which would incorporate the Yurt (once built) and would be specific to the site where the yurt would be assembled – a large empty office building.
Each day was thematically related to the part of the Yurt being built that day – the wheel, the trellis, the rafters etc so that the two separate groups were aware that they were working towards the same goal.
Once realised on the 5th day, a public presentation was made of the project in the evening. The following morning was sightseeing and then in the afternoon we improved on the presentation and that evening openned the experience to the public again. The morning of the final day was for preparing to leave and in the afternoon we had an evaluation a final circle and a discussion on future projects. We presented our project for the last time to the public and celebrated with a party in the completed Yurt.
The whole training is constructed so that there is an inbuilt feedback loop which allows the process to grow organically around the needs of the partners/participants within the constraints, of course, of the aims and objectives of the training.
Since many of the partners had already contributed to the network research project called The Conference of the Birds, we continued with this theme as a basis for our exploration of Context Oriented Theatre*.
The training proposed a definition of creative learning as ‘the joy or releasing in mind, body and voice to the flow of implicit knowledge’. And we explored together the personal blocks we have to that flow of meaning (dialogue). It was through an increased sensitivity to these site-specific blocks that material was generated to create a COT presentation which started with classical theatre, moved into participative and ended with an immersive experience. Essential to the process was sharing this presentation with the public in order to see how it effected them and us and how it evolved over the three evenings.
That we were able to provide this joy of creative learning for participants and many of the audience, as the evaluation demonstrates, is an indication of the effectiveness of the method and the success of this training.
*Context Oriented Theatre is an innovative applied theatre which can be seen as a creative neuro-pedagogic method of youth work. It show how theatre is a metaphor of consciousness, and by using different methods of theatre we are practicing different theories of mind. This allows us to perceive our selves and our circumstance from radically new viewpoints. So radical that they can be instantly transformational. A precursor to intercultural dialogue, democratic participation and indeed for any healthy society is to be able to perceive situations from several perspectives. An appreciation of the importance of pluralism: of diversity of people and perspective in our society is surely a sign of maturity without which any young person will struggle to contribute to a healthy sustainable society. COT promotes creative citizenship, which encourages young people to be proactive in creating a society that thrives on that diversity.
Learning how to build a yurt is not rocket science, it can be learnt in four or five days and in that time you can build the frame of a structure which can comfortably hold 35 people for a workshop. (7 meter diameter) It is an empowering experience, and one that can be replicated with people who have basic tools and woodworking skills.
This process allied with learning a specific activity which can become associated with this particular space– using theatre to explore that which inhibits our capacity to enjoy life and grow, is the basis for the title of the training of the title – Building Dynamic Platforms for Transformation. And we can confidently say that we have succeeded to make it ‘mean what it says on the tin.’ From the survey responses many participants felt this transformation and have grasped the potential of this process for their communities back in their own homes. In particular communities who are disadvantaged, such as Roma people in Macedonia or disabled and NEET young people here in the UK.
The survey results attest to the fact that we were successful in our objectives for the project. It would have been nice to have had more time to explore future applications of the work more thoroughly however this activity is continuing through online conversations and debate.
Again, the comments in the survey and the recorded final circle demonstrate that the training had a significant impact on the personal development of many of the participants. We trust and hope that this impact will also manifest in an improvement in their practice in their work with young people.
As well as supporting in co-ordinating the project I designed the training and delivered the Context Oriented Theatre component.