Goedgedacht Path out of Poverty Applied Theatre Project 2016

In collaboration with Goedgedacht’s Path out of Poverty (POP) project, sp(i)eel practitioners delivered a series of applied theatre sessions for youth on the farm that culminated in a showcase in December 2016. The main goal was the development of Self and a general sense of wellbeing for youth who are affected by social issues of poverty and lack of resources and willpower to engage in their futures.

The biggest indicator of change in this project was the participants’ increasing commitment to attending the drama group and rehearsals. Whereas in the past there was a struggle to motivate the group to attend regularly, this was no longer the case in the last few months. The ability to take ownership of a process and stay committed, is indicative of a developed sense of Self and Self worth. This also translated to other areas where an increase in school attendance and other POP activities was observed. Also significantly, the project was able to address the initial gender imbalance and bring in a larger number of girls to partake as well.