The idea
This project involves collaborating with a cohort of people with learning disabilities to delve into their desires for companionship and romance. Through drama-based sessions, the project aims to extract ideas from participants, which will then be transformed into an enlightening performance piece. While the performance holds significance in providing a platform for participants to express their concerns and conflicts confidently to friends and family, the process itself is equally vital. It facilitates participants in exploring their emotions within a secure and creative environment.
Social isolation and loneliness is a significant issue for many people with a learning disability, particularly for those who face barriers in accessing services and opportunities to socialise, unless they have access to transport and/or staff support. People do not always understand their rights to have relationships and this will educate them as well as others on how best to overcome these barriers.
What we'll deliver
- We will deliver 26 workshop and planning meetings
- We will provide 1 live performance
- We will record and make available the performance to others
- We will work with 25 active participants
Why it's a great idea
The project will enable people with learning disabilites to access an arts based programme that develops their creativity. It will lead them through the process of writing & developing their own dramatic piece centered around an issue of personal significance. The benefits this will bring are:
1. People will have their voices heard and use their creativity to express their inner emotions and feelings.
2. People will learn new skills and take part in activity they may not have had the opportunity to before
3. People will have improved confidence in taking part in a final performance, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate whatever their ability.
People tell us that they lack confidence to meet other people; worried about what was expected of them and about the pressure they might feel under; and that they are unsure how to speak up about their wishes to have relationships. This project will provide a safe space to speak up on these issues and how to address them.
Steps to get it done
- Recruit creative lead
- Recruiting core group of participants who will be the co-creaters
- Recruiting wider participants to take part
- Deliver workshops
- Deliver a performance
The project will be powerful in its message to people in authority
that everyone is entitled to relationships. It will take a group of people who do not ordinarily get the opportunity to be creative in this way and will give them a voice.
It will show the wider community that people with learning disabilities are capable of great things and that there should be no barriers, not only in terms of the subject matter i.e. forming relationships, but also in their creativity.
It will raise awareness of the issues and prejudices that people face around relationships and how they can be overcome by understanding, conversation and by visibility within the community.
