A team of youth workers is burning out. Constant organisational change and the demands of working with at-risk young people are taking their toll. Staff want to have a ‘fun’ day chilling out together. Management want a serious team-building workshop.
We balance the needs of staff and management by creating a vibrant program based on forum theatre techniques. Serious issues such as relationships between managers and staff, and team values are explored through role plays and games. The highlight of the day is the creation and performance of “info-mercials” about the team’s values. Through the medium of comedy, some very serious concerns are addressed. One group member says of this day “the most significant thing was that people could laugh, have fun and be more ‘authentic’. This significantly strengthened interpersonal relationships.”