12 months of my life that passed faster and more difficult than I expected!
I am not sure I ever reached the level of empowered actor as in the model of intercultural work (presented by me in august) but for sure I did as much as possible taking in consideration local specific but also my own specific and personality and I know I tried and sweet my brain out to make a good connection between these 2 in order to make my project true.
I had a meeting with the EVS coordinator from Istanbul and we closed this project (from the stage point of view). The evaluation is still going on between me and A.R.T. Fusion and in the next months I need to develop a tool kit based on my experience here in Turkey (tool kit that has to include Street Campaigning, Social Theatre and Global Education- I need to find a relevant way of including/combing these methods in youth friendly way). I have plenty of time in front until September for this activity.
Just an overview of the last year based on the initial aim and objectives of the my project:
The aim of the project was to stimulate the active participation (as a value of European Union) of young people in problems that concern today society by using participative art, creative street animation methods and innovative campaigns.
Stimulating is a proper word for what I did this year in Turkey….and I also use what I know best: street animation methods, social theatre and attempting innovative campaigns.
The methods that were used in this project :
social theatre as a method of social intervention
non formal education workshops on development education (this part was a bit weaker then estimated because of lack of interested in Turkish volunteers to involve in such big topics)
street campaigning
The objectives of the project were:
to train more than 60 young people to be multipliers in social theatre (more than 60 young people for sure got to know what is social theatre )
to raise awareness and personal involvement in what matters the Millennium Goals for Turkish general young people.(only in what matter the MDG 7 on environment)
to implement various campaigns that raise awareness in different topics (additional more than 50 young people will be trained and develop street campaigning skills) – (we did implemented various street actions and more then 50 people developed skills in street animation)
to stimulate the volunteering among young people (I did my best here :)
I am happy and proud that I am able to do something more in-depth and with a higher multiplying effect: a multiple days training on Forum Theatre for other EVS volunteers and as well local volunteer from TOG (Istanbul Region).
One of the participants wrote also an article about it that appeared in the web site of TOG.
I am copying the article below because seems that can appear problems with the TOG website:
Masters of changes
During this weekend (16-17th of the January) there was held a training, named „Forum Theatre“ organized by Andreea-Loredana Tudorache. She came from Romania for a year (2009-2010) to do her EVS in TOG, Izmir, with her own project "Challenge YOU and YOUR community".
In the training were participating 10 people and as training language was english, besides turkish participants, also other EVS from Istanbul and some erasmus students were participating. The main idea of the training was to teach participants new training method, so they could use it as a tool to make people aware of social problems around them and how everyone, including themselves, can be a part of changes, how averyone is actually can become a master of changes.
Ekin,
As a method, I believe it was satisfying for few days. I would be happy if it was longer. Actually in the beginning it wasn‘t very clear in my head, but at the end I could understand how the process works. I think to be a part of the playis the most effective way to to really understand the idea of theatre, so I could use it later.
Image Theatre
After the team building people were introduced to some power games and image theatre, which basicaly consists of building different statues from people, showing their mood, atmosphere of the situation played and etc.
Forum Theatre
Theatre creates space and distance, which allows sensitive topics like for exaample sexuality or violence to be addressed in an indirect way. Some issues feel too close and hard to talk about publicly, and drama enables people to explore personal issues safely and outside taboos. By discussing characters and their motivations, you can express your own ideas without feeling exposed. Interactive theatre creates a transitional space where you can safely try on different roles and test out new ways of behaving before using them in real life.
Miriam,
It‘s the first time I experiencened something like that, when you‘re put in to the different roles, so you have to consider the point of view of different people as an actor, but as we always switched roles, I was also able to step back and see the whole picture, so you can get a chance to look at the situation and at the same time to participate in the situation. Usually you‘re in the situation or looking at it, and there we could be both.
The purpose of Forum Theatre is to create a space where people can express their thoughts, feelings, and concerns. In Forum Theatre, the main character confronts oppression, an unjust use of power that is maintained by a threat of force. Even though they are victimized, someone who is oppressed is not the same as a victim because victims don’t fight back. The oppressed confronts a problem, analyzes what is happening and takes action to change his or her situation.
Experiences
All the participants were included in two plays that they were creating by themselves according to the problems, searching possibilities to solve them. Situations played were about two main topics this time: domestic violence and discrimination. During the training all the participants were included in the process, so everyone could become and actor and the one, who has the power to change something.
At the end of every exercise, play or workshop, there was a time to discuss the opinions, ideas about what had just happened. Surprisingly everyone was eager to share some ideas about what was going on at the moment and what could be done in the future, so everyone was included and felt free to express their opinion. After the training, people were encuraged to share ideas, what could be done about some problems dicussed before and how this method could be used in their job.
Adam,
It was really good opportunity to learn new things. For my point of view, it was a nice training and method used during training, it helps to develope yourself, I think. I didn‘t hear about this method before. I am working in youth organisation, so I think that I will share my experiences with job friends and use that method in my future work. I am doing some meetings about youth policy and problems, so I can do some similar training as well. I am sure I will try to organize this training in the future.
( author of the article Renata Gylytė)
It was a challenging weekend because I wanted to empower these volunteers for actually be able to use the method after the training/ or to be really motivated to make further steps in use elements of the methods in their work or even to make more reading and research about it.
The immediate feedback was really good, constructive and I wish that this beautiful young people will continue in the field and act same as the responsible citizens they were performing on the stage and continue to change the lives of the victims or vulnerable people around them.
We approached 2 main topics in the performances and in the discussions: domestic violence and discrimination of scarfed Muslim girls.
Thank you for participating in this training and keep me updated about the future work in relation with Social Theatre!!!
I am in Christmas Mood :)) Of course time to go home (after plenty of time already) and enjoy many goodies that is no chance to even find them here :)
One of them being of course: SNOW!!!! (here what they call winter we call spring – here meaning S and S-E part of Turkey)
2 more months to go for my special EVS project in Turkey! Oley!!!
Lately I became truly much relaxed and patience and less rigid when I plan something that is related working with Turkish volunteers
My Turkish Classes are going really good – I will make a break for the holidays and I wil continue in January (certanly this lessons had to be done in this way from the begining og the project)
The international training that I was talking in my last post became in the last moment a national training and also in the last moment i was out of the team because after all it was going to be in Turkish and also because they wanted to keep they first version of program with no changes and improvements from outside support (me and the Izmir Regional Coordinator)
The 1 December Day went out really good because of a huge number of people that joined the march; too bad not enough people wanted to create some social street theatre or animation for bringing more awareness to the public on the streets (we did some workshop but no action in the street); but still for the level of street work in Izmir even the fact that so many people mobilized is an asset
I am preparing a 3 days training on Forum Theatre for Istanbul (in January) – after discussing with EVS coordinator from Istanbul we agreed that in Izmir there is not enough will from volunteers part for a longer training and will try out in Istanbul in order to assure some multiplying effect on this method in TOG.
Craciun Fericit si La Multi Ani tuturor romanilor!!!!
I accumulated from 2004 experience in youth organizations, founder of one, developing a youth leaders community in different countries, working with people from more than 30 countries, delivering international trainings (human rights, theatre of the oppressed, intercultural education, global education, street campaigning, project and organizational , management, international volunteering, campaigning, mentoring and coaching, etc) working mainly in international groups and settings, acquiring knowledge in various topics and areas. I have a deep passions for global education, forum theatre (and other forms of theatre of the oppressed), cultural relativism and social change. I believe in butterfly effect in the world, I saw it in my work!
