'We are the ones we've been waiting for' is a legislative theatre performance developed by young people. It develops practical ideas for improvements to mental health services for young adults in Greater Manchester.
The event will take roughly 3 hours. Firstly you will watch a play the young people have devised (45 mins). Then the audience discuss the play and propose ideas that could improve the character’s lives (45 mins). There is a discussion about which ideas the audience would like to see put into effect, with the opportunity to propose amendments (30 mins), followed by a break (15 mins). At the end, a ‘policy team’, a group of policy makers and public sector leaders, propose commitments about what they will do to improve policy and practice in Greater Manchester (30 mins).
Legislative Theatre is an incredibly powerful participatory approach for improving people’s lives by developing policy and practice through a performance based on people’s lived experiences. It was developed in Latin America, in the 1990s, by Augusto Boal. Attendees will take part in this unique process. Coming to this event will also offer insights into young people’s lived experiences of mental health issues. You don't need to take to take part in the play - there are a number of other ways of participating. This project builds on the Optimistic Minds project, supported by Emerging Minds: a UKRI-funded research network that aims to reduce the prevalence of mental health problems experienced by children and young people.
Dr James Duggan (Research Fellow in the School of Childhood, Youth and Education Studies), Dr Sonia Bussu (Senior Lecturer in Politics and Publuc Administration) and Dr Sarah Parry (Clinical Psychologist and Practice Fellow), Manchester Metropolitan University
Open to all.
This event will appeal to people interested in participatory approaches to making change in their community, and anyone interested in youth mental health whether a young person, parent or professional