Acting up: a new approach to diversity training

Course summary

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A HALF DAY SESSION:

'Acting up' relates to both how we perceive others and how we are perceived ourselves. Issues relating to equality and diversity can be clouded by rising emotional temperature and fear of 'getting it wrong' so much that we tend to hide behind rigid procedures without discovering real sources of inequality and encountering them creatively.

In this interactive, half-day, drama based workshop you will discover how to deconstruct the emotional connections to issues involving equality and diversity. It will help you gain a greater understanding of how you come across and enhance your ability to manage many difficult and sensitive issues.


Course outline

In this 3 hour workshop we will introduce and cover such topics as:
1. Becoming aware of your space: "You're in my face!" "Don't invade my personal space!"
Space-invaders can make others feel insignificant, ignored, threatened. Few of us are aware of the space we take up and the feelings emanating from it.

• a range of straightforward exercises designed to wake up your periphery awareness. You will become more observant of, and sensitive to, the space around you.
• some basic theatre techniques will provide you with the tools for changing the feelings you give out - for turning a cold forbidding personal space into a warm and welcoming one.

2. The intention behind the words: "Hello stranger!" "You're good you are!"
Are these words warm and positive? Or undermining and agressive?

• by experimenting with different intentions behind common-place greetings, you will discover ways in which you can close the gap between what you mean, and the effective you have on others.
• through interactive activities in small groups we develop the means to be accurate in achieving your desired effect in simulated workplace situations.

3. Constructive listening: "She never said that, did she?" "Didn't you hear what I just said?"
Selective hearing is a commonplace problem: we tend to hear what we want to hear which may have little to do with what has been said.
Listening with your brain tuned into your answer. Defence is another commonplace that gets in the way of understanding.

• explore how different attitudes and roles can lead to selective listening and misunderstanding (using a scene from Shakespeare).

4. Working with negative or oppressive situation
In this section participants volunteer to describe a troublesome workplace situation. This can be done in the course of the workshop, or through consultation with us beforehand.

• actively deconstructing a particular workplace situation using Forum Theatre techniques, the group will participate in exploring the multitude of attitudes, hidden intentions, vulnerabilities experienced by all players (protagonists and antagonists) and try out ways of changing it for the better.

Who is this course for?

This course is for anyone who wants to increase their skills in the management of equality and diversity issues. This may be in policy making as part of a leadership role, or influencing workplace issues as a team member.


What will this course help me do: learning outcomes?

This course will:
- give you a personal analysis of 'how I come across'
- increase your personal awareness, mental and physical, relating to the office environment
- provide techniques to diffuse rising emotional temperature
- help build confidence in office relationships
- enhanced communicating ability
- provide methods for continuing to increase the potential released in the session
- enhance your ability to manage many difficult and or sensitive issues
- an expanded awareness of all aspects of diversity and inclusivity
- greater confidence in speaking
- greater confidence in managing issues of equality and diversity