CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT
Creative Engagement runs through all the projects I work on. For ease for use I have separated some specific projects to give a flavour of previous experience and projects I am passionate about.
Experience in project creation, consulting and project delivery with partners including: Irish Aid, UNICEF, UNHCR, the EU, USAID, British Council, HIVOS and the Zambian Government
Experienced workshop leader, Skilled in Theatre for Development, Participatory Process Performance (P.P.P.), Applied Theatre, devising and improvisation techniques, script work/creation, acting technique and characterisation.
Master trainer in various modules I wrote for Barefeet with content including; social accountability, policy engagement, drug addiction/alcoholism, early childhood education, Environmental mitigation, sanitation WASH, children’s rights, access to justice, HIV prevention/ adherence in Zambia.
Assisted in the formation of 40 performance groups in orphanages/ street child centres across Zambia. Working with Barefeet has also allowed me to work with children in refugee camps and transit centres, leading to the creation of a unique Children’s ‘Council’ model.
Trained 100+ Barefeet faciliators in workshop delivery skills over the course of 10 years.
Since 2003 I have also led/coordinated numerous youth inclusion projects throughout the UK, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Hungary.
SOME EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS
BAREFEET THEATRE
2006- 2016
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER
PODCAST - CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS
2020- present
WAKE THE BEAST- supported by the Irish Government through the Emigrant Support Programme
Creative Conversations takes a fresh and fun glimpse into Irish identity topics using performance, comedy and discussion.
Think of it as a snapshot of the Irish/ Northern Irish diaspora - only funnier!
We talk identity, diaspora and meet the interesting people behind the stories .. wherever they are. Episodes have seen us travel from London to Lusaka, New York to Newry meeting people from places in-between.
2023 Podcasts available now.
SNAPSHOT - Irish community in Zambia -
'IRELAND'S LOSS BRITAINS GAIN' – Irish in the NHS -
'LOVE & JUSTICE’ – featuring Irish diaspora women from JENGBA (Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association).
IRISH WITH AN AMERICAN ACCENT
Supported by the Government of Ireland Emigrant Support Programme.
NHS/ CARE HOME- Supporting staff through the COVID pandemic
2020- present
Wake The Beast. Whittington Health NHS Trust, Central North West London Trust, Camden and Islington Trust
“What I got out of it was reflecting on what happened, letting go of what happened and moving
on to what’s coming” Whittington Staff member
MY ROLE: CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS, WROTE THE SCRIPT AND DIRECTED CONTENT
Over the past 4 years Wake The Beast artists have interviewed a total of 250+ Whittington Health Trust NHS/Care Home staff to capture their experiences throughout the pandemic. Working hand in hand with the Clinical Health Psychology Team, 7 unique pieces of new writing were creating and toured to over 1000+ NHS staff across multiple NHS trust sites throughout three national lockdowns (June 20, Nov 20, June 21, July 21, Nov 21, Nov 22). The journey from ‘Health Heroes’ to ‘Striking Villains’ throughout this period has been captured and documented using the words of zero hours contractors cleaning Covid wards to Senior Consultants and all the bands in between.
The work spreads
Throughout the pandemic more NHS trusts got in touch and the WTB team interviewed over 40 staff from Central North West London (CNWL) Trust (Surrey, London, Milton Keynes)– where the wellbeing team worked with WTB to curate a Wellbeing festival featuring 10 short films written by WTB using the interviews. Camden and Islington Trust, a mental health Trust, also requested a bespoke theatre tour. The team interviewed 30+ staff from this trust and created ‘Stories from C&I’ which toured hospitals and wards for two weeks in July 21. In April 2023 we were invited to perform at the UK Houses of Parliament for MP's and Peers to advocate for NHS/ Social Care staff mental health support.
Read full story here:
THE C FACTOR
2017- 2024
WAKE THE BEAST , MACMILLAN AND THE WHITTINGTON HEALTH NHS TRUST
WINNER OF 2019 MACMILLAN 'INNOVATION AWARD'
MY ROLE: CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS, WROTE THE SCRIPT AND PERFORMS CONTENT
The C Factor is a creative group approach for people going through cancer. Addressing the emotional impact of cancer through storytelling, discussion and laughter.
Wake The Beast worked with the Whittington Hospital Psychology team and Macmillan to create a series of 8 sessions addressing 4 main topics relating to cancer treatment and its effects.
Adam had conversations with several people who had undergone treatment (or were still in treatment) at the Whittington hospital. The participants allowed their experiences to be used as part of 'Ricky's' story. A fictional character was created to protect people's identity's and allow for an amalgamation of several people's experiences to be presented. Ricky's story is verbatim, taken directly from the interviews with patients.
Over the 8 sessions we follow the 'story' of Ricky and his cat Whitt through Ricky's cancer diagnosis and treatment. Ricky's story helps participants explore challenges and experiences in a way that's; non-intrusive, fun, creative and reflective.
The award winning project has provided psychological support for over 150 people who may not choose one to one therapy, combing psychological approaches, tools and techniques in a creative and energising/ uplifting context.
“This should be offered to all cancer patients - Amazing course.”
“So many themes and events resonated with my own journey, seeing it broken into stages was a good way to approach the various issues patients face.”
“I kept using Ricky's mantras when talking to other people, I know that I am not alone.”
“It has made me feel more hopeful about longer term effects.”
WHO CARES
2019
LUNG THEATRE & THE LOWRY (MANCHESTER)
The play, Who Cares, has toured around the country for the last few years, visiting Folkestone Quarterhouse, Action Transport Theatre, Rosehill Theatre, CAST Doncaster, Arts Depot and many schools, youth zones and community settings. Who Cares is a gripping verbatim theatre production based on a year of interviews that offers a rare insight into a year in the lives of young carers from Salford. The play aims to help identify ‘hidden’ young carers in society and signpost them to support available through local young carers services. In 2021, Who Cares was adapted for radio and was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 9th February 2021. Who Cares has also been adapted into a filmed production with accompanying educational resources that will be available from Summer 2021.
Who Cares, was written by Matt Woodhead and co-produced by The Lowry and LUNG in partnership with Gaddum. Who Cares was funded by Curious Minds, Arts Council England and the Oglesby Charitable Trust.
MY ROLE: Designed, created and delivered engagement content for schools, teachers and professionals
Y'MAM (young man's angry movements)
2022
Majid Mehdizadeh, The Old Electric Blackpool, Lancashire Constabulary
Y’MAM is a one-man performance piece written and performed by Majid Mehdizadeh/Luke Jerdy (Actingname).
In this electric, pulsating autobiographical solo-show, Majid (Hollyoaks, War Horse) traces the origin of his own personal struggles with anger. Probing the unspoken anxieties, desires and fantasies of ToxicMasculinity, Majid invites us to join him on his journey to a new modern ‘manhood’. Combining spoken word, music and brutally honest accounts of his past; Y’MAM is an inspiring, uplifting story about love, appreciation and learning to let things go.
The show was reimagined to be performed in Blackpool, Preston and Lancaster for specially invited groups of young men who connected with some of the content. We offered a creative engagement workshop (3 hrs), an opportunity to see the show and interact with Majid. The activities provided an opportunity for participants to reflect on their own experiences of the topics in the performance.
MY ROLE: Designed, created and delivered engagement content for young male groups and professionals
EAGLES, SNAKES AND STARS
2014
BAREFEET THEATRE, EGPAF - ZAMBIA
Working with Elizabeth Glazier Paediatric Aids Foundation (EGPAF) we created and delivered a series of six performance stories and six follow up workshops in clinics and children’s support groups for children living with HIV across six sites in Lusaka.
Using the central characters of Sunny and Gift we explored themes, highlighted as being common challenges, include; low morale of the children by being stigmatised for taking their medication, always being at the clinic when their friends are playing or always being sick. Other issues may include the reluctance of children to take their medication or not eating well.
The second stage of the project used the characters and scenarios as topics that were explored and investigated in the children’s support groups that are ongoing throughout the clinics.
MY ROLE: Conducted interviews with children, wrote and directed script.
UNCLE JOHN AND AUNTY PRECIOUS
2006-2016
BAREFEET THEATRE
Uncle John/ Aunty Precious has never left their village far in the North of Zambia. One night the chief has a vision, some of her subjects in Lusaka are in trouble and she needs to send Uncle John/ Aunty Precious to help them. So begins a terrifying journey of self-discovery as Uncle John/ Aunty Precious arrives in Lusaka where everything is modern and unknown. Participants have to support Uncle John/ Aunty Precious navigate this ‘new world’, along the way they meet children living on the streets and the family behind two of the children. Over 10 interactive storytelling sessions we follow the twists and turns of Uncle John/ Aunty Precious’ journey as they battle to support the family along the way learning the reasons why children may be on the streets and the pathways they can take to prevent that outcome.
Uncle John/ Aunty Precious has been running since 2009- with an initial pilot ‘Bwacha Twangale’ with Grassroot Soccer supported by PCI. In its first year 1539 children graduated from this street prevention programme in high drift (to the street) communities. The programme was adapted several times to work with children already on the streets through Barefeet’s residential camps. Beautifully demonstrating the power of storytelling and creative participation in supporting young people to make positive life choices.
MY ROLE: Conducted interviews with children, wrote and directed script.
SUPERBABY
2015
BAREFEET THEATRE, UNICEF (Early Childhood Education)
This interactive comic fantasy, explored the benefits of early childhood stimulation. Through this fun and engaging interactive performance mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles grandmothers, grandfathers and big brothers and sisters where invited to share their ideas on stimulating cognitive, social, emotional, language/communication and motor skills development. Barefeet then shared the secret ingredients of how to create a super hero (this is a tongue on cheek way of delivering important information to assist with early childhood development). Toured 15 rural communities in Easter Province, Zambia 2015. Working with UNICEF.
MY ROLE: Conducted interviews with children, wrote and directed script.
A PROMISE RENEWED
2014-2015
BAREFEET THEATRE, UNHCR, UNICEF, GOVERNMENT REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA
‘A Promised Renewed’- was a unique collaboration between Barefeet and 5 of UNICEF’s sections to work towards the reduction of child mortality. Barefeet worked with WASH, Child Protection, Education Life Skills, Education Early Childhood Development Education and Communications sections to create a 18 month programme of activities, training over 5000 participants in topics such as Hand washing, ECD, sexual health, and stigma and discrimination, with ‘Step Out’ community performances reaching over 100,000 people in rural and urban communities across all 10 Zambian Provinces.
A time traveller ‘Dr Mukandawire’ came from the future to work with children in Western Province to spread the hand washing revolution. ‘Mutinta’s Secret’ took the form of an interactive game show to work with teenagers in areas of high teenage pregnancy. ‘Miss Mathematics/ Boxed’ collaborated with UNICEF Child Protection, The EU and UNHCR to travel to all the Refugee Camps and surrounding communities to work with children, staff and community leaders investigating stigma and discrimination- the conclusion of which was a huge streamed performance in Lusaka featuring over 200 young performers and Zambian superstar; Maureen Lilanda. All activities culminated in the ‘One Drum Many Beats’ festival in Lusaka headlined by Femi Kuti and the Positive Force band.
A truly unique adventure utilising the power of art to entertain, inspire and transform lives.
MY ROLE: Designed programme, conducted interviews with children, wrote and directed scripts.