The Awkward Chat - Relationships & Bullying (KS3-5)
60-minute high quality, detailed & flexible workshops or assemblies.
Performed to students in small or large groups.
May suit carousel days or one-off visits. Available throughout the year.
How do the sessions run?
Our workshops are performed by 3 professional actors.
We start by breaking down what we are covering in the sessions: we explore the definitions, clarify facts and any laws surrounding the topic, and invite the students to answer questions and get involved.
The students are then shown scenes with characters in everyday, relatable situations.
We use elements of Augusto Boal's 'Forum Theatre: following scenes which see young characters with conflicting objectives, we freeze the action and split the audience into groups; the students are invited to advise the characters about what to do next. This is designed to allow students to articulate opinions and feelings in a safe, objective environment.
What We Cover
Relationships across the board - from friendship to romance to online, & identifying when a relationship is negative.
Our Relationship workshop explores issues included in the PSHE Suggested Programme of Study (Core Theme 2 - Relationships).
We take a focused look at myths & facts surrounding bullying, cyber-bullying, the law and consequences of "sexting"/sharing indecent images & child abuse imagery, online relationships, unrealistic media portrayal of relationships, readiness for a romantic relationship, ending relationships.
The students are invited to offer advice to a series of characters, including a student and teacher who are discussing an accusation of cyberbullying; and a young couple who met online and are at a party, one is pressuring the other to engage in sexual activity.
We conclude by outlining help and resources available.
We're more than happy to tailor the workshop upon request to focus on any issues you feel are particularly relevant to your students.
Included with the workshop
Teacher's further work pack
Why is it so important to discuss Relationships & Bullying with young people?
Young people don't always comprehend the repercussions of their actions when relationships take a difficult turn.
Ditch the Label's 2019 Annual Bullying Report showed that 22% of the respondents said they have experienced bullying, & 27% witnessed bullying.
Of those being bullied, 74% experienced cyberbullying.
A 2018 report showed one in seven 12 to 17-year-olds had sent sexts, one in four had received them and one in ten teens had sent sexts in an unsolicited manner.
An estimated 5.43 million young people in the UK have experienced cyberbullying
UpFront Theatre Company's workshop will show the students situations, and get them thinking about the consequences, and the differences between healthy & unhealthy relationships.