tour of asia concept
My reason for choosing Asia was partly due to my fascination with this continent but mainly due to watching the news about the Bus Gang Rape in India. Hearing this whilst I was going through my own experience of domestic violence brought tears to my eyes, and was a moment I was never to forget.
It wasn't until my own experience came to an end that I started to research what help is available, and as I did so I remembered that story from the news. It inspired me to have a look to see what help is available in India to these women, and I was shocked to discover that very little is offered, and yet abuse is common. Although more and more help is being introduced as these new stories rocket these issues to the forefront of the worlds society, the help that is offered is similar to that that I was offered. While it might help thousands of people, you can't escape the fact that it is very focused around the individual being a victim. I felt compelled to do something to work with these people, I wanted to offer a chance to escape and an outlet along side the help they are receiving. As I did more and more research I discovered that other Asian countries are in a similar position, and I started to talk to people and contact organisations to see who might be interested in my little idea. The interest rapidly grew and I realised that I needed to find a way to fund it.
I had two options:
1. Apply for funding / Waitress etc - Go next year.
2. Find a job out there - Go now!
Quickly I realised that teaching English was my best way of getting a well paid job abroad that would cover my living costs and fund Sweet Tooth's work. When I came out of my experience, I made a promise to myself that I would take as many opportunities as I possibly can, and so I have grasped hold of this one tightly, with both hands and I am not letting go.
Previous Experience: Internship at Red Rose Chain
My experience with Red Rose Chain inspired me to start my own company Their community work is crucial to their performance work, similarly Sweet Tooth's Outreach programme is "at the epicentre of our work." At Red Rose Chain I was pushed beyond what I thought were my limits, I found myself thrown in the deep end, writing huge arts council funding applications and helping run workshops for drug addicts and leading workshops with young parents. Working with these individuals make me realise that the term hard to reach audiences shouldn't exist. With the stress of everyday life, no matter who you are, everybody is interested in being introduced into a new world or taken back to our childhood. If we weren't, nobody would watch the television or go to the cinema. The key factors to people not coming to the theatre is not class or upbringing, it is money, time and the fact that many theatre companies forget that everyone's imagination is captured differently. Not everybody will be enthralled by Shakespeare on a proscenium arch in old dress, and sticking actors in modern dress and incorporating rap music is not the answer.
At Red Rose Chain I learnt how important it is to listen and take on board what the audiences are saying. Not to be afraid of putting ourselves out there.
Working with drug addicts as part of their therapy programme was interesting, as it never felt like therapy. We never saw ourselves as above them, we were all equals, what we do outside of the room didn't matter, there was no judging. Whether we dealt with the issue of drugs or not was up to the participants, they chose the topic of their devising, and most of the time it was about falling in love or going on holiday with your friends.
My work with those who have experienced domestic abuse is similar. I know as someone who has experience such abuse, what it is like to sit in a therapy class. I desperately needed something like the workshops that we run at Sweet Tooth is, I needed to be in a room with people who have experienced the same thing but not to be told I am a victim and need help, I just wanted to know that I was not alone. I needed an escape, and what better than theatre and performance. Thanks to my work at Red Rose Chain I have been able to put these workshops together to a professional level where I feel confident the participants are building their confidence.
It wasn't until my own experience came to an end that I started to research what help is available, and as I did so I remembered that story from the news. It inspired me to have a look to see what help is available in India to these women, and I was shocked to discover that very little is offered, and yet abuse is common. Although more and more help is being introduced as these new stories rocket these issues to the forefront of the worlds society, the help that is offered is similar to that that I was offered. While it might help thousands of people, you can't escape the fact that it is very focused around the individual being a victim. I felt compelled to do something to work with these people, I wanted to offer a chance to escape and an outlet along side the help they are receiving. As I did more and more research I discovered that other Asian countries are in a similar position, and I started to talk to people and contact organisations to see who might be interested in my little idea. The interest rapidly grew and I realised that I needed to find a way to fund it.
I had two options:
1. Apply for funding / Waitress etc - Go next year.
2. Find a job out there - Go now!
Quickly I realised that teaching English was my best way of getting a well paid job abroad that would cover my living costs and fund Sweet Tooth's work. When I came out of my experience, I made a promise to myself that I would take as many opportunities as I possibly can, and so I have grasped hold of this one tightly, with both hands and I am not letting go.
Previous Experience: Internship at Red Rose Chain
My experience with Red Rose Chain inspired me to start my own company Their community work is crucial to their performance work, similarly Sweet Tooth's Outreach programme is "at the epicentre of our work." At Red Rose Chain I was pushed beyond what I thought were my limits, I found myself thrown in the deep end, writing huge arts council funding applications and helping run workshops for drug addicts and leading workshops with young parents. Working with these individuals make me realise that the term hard to reach audiences shouldn't exist. With the stress of everyday life, no matter who you are, everybody is interested in being introduced into a new world or taken back to our childhood. If we weren't, nobody would watch the television or go to the cinema. The key factors to people not coming to the theatre is not class or upbringing, it is money, time and the fact that many theatre companies forget that everyone's imagination is captured differently. Not everybody will be enthralled by Shakespeare on a proscenium arch in old dress, and sticking actors in modern dress and incorporating rap music is not the answer.
At Red Rose Chain I learnt how important it is to listen and take on board what the audiences are saying. Not to be afraid of putting ourselves out there.
Working with drug addicts as part of their therapy programme was interesting, as it never felt like therapy. We never saw ourselves as above them, we were all equals, what we do outside of the room didn't matter, there was no judging. Whether we dealt with the issue of drugs or not was up to the participants, they chose the topic of their devising, and most of the time it was about falling in love or going on holiday with your friends.
My work with those who have experienced domestic abuse is similar. I know as someone who has experience such abuse, what it is like to sit in a therapy class. I desperately needed something like the workshops that we run at Sweet Tooth is, I needed to be in a room with people who have experienced the same thing but not to be told I am a victim and need help, I just wanted to know that I was not alone. I needed an escape, and what better than theatre and performance. Thanks to my work at Red Rose Chain I have been able to put these workshops together to a professional level where I feel confident the participants are building their confidence.