I am thrilled to be a member of the National Theatre Wales's Rethinking Education group. In February 2015 I facilitated storytelling workshops themed, Tell A Tale. These workshops aimed to  empower refugees and asylum seekers from Oasis Cardiff through the promotion of self-confidence and self-esteem. The workshops also aimed to promote the participation of these marginalised migrants in the enjoyment of the arts and to educate, entertain and empower them.What better way to achieve these aims than through storytelling.

To carry out these workshops, we were afforded a space by the Welsh Millennium Centre. This kind of space was an ideal venue for the workshops because it gave the participants the feel of being in an arts surrounding. The workshops were conducted on the 10th, 17th and 24th of February 2015. Each of these workshops had an average of 6-8 participants.

Most of the participants hardly spoke any English at all. But as the workshop progressed, what the facilitators witnessed was the increase in self-confidence and self-esteem. Even with an interpreter available, we enjoyed brilliant stories; some done through sketch-drawing and some done beautifully through movement. The stories shared were not only about personal experiences but some of the participants shared folklore and general stories from their mother countries.

These workshops go a long way in not just bettering the lives of asylum seekers and refugees but also help in bridge building and community cohesion. These storytelling workshops can transform the lives of the people intending to learn. I feel more of these type of workshops should be carried out on a regular basis. Lastly, my special thanks go to the facilitators of these workshops namely Rhiannon White, Christina Handke  and King Teklom.
 

 

Views: 111

Add a Comment

You need to be a member of National Theatre Wales Community to add comments!

Join National Theatre Wales Community

image block identification

© 2024   Created by National Theatre Wales.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service