1. How, in practical terms – activities, facilities, services etc. – are you proposing to use a grant? We are requesting a grant towards the staff and core (management and office) costs for two drama leaders to run ‘Words, Signs & Vibes’ (WS&V), our innovative integrated deaf/hearing drama club for young people in the West Midlands. WS&V comprises two regular drama clubs, theatre performances, holiday projects, residential weeks, drama training, performances and workshops for schools and theatre visits. All activities are organised and lead by the two drama workers. 2. What do you seek to change and why? Sketch in the human background – eg the disadvantaged children who might particularly benefit from the project. Deaf young people often have a negative experience in mainstream education, particularly if they have British Sign Language (BSL) as a first language. It can be very socially isolating, and learning in a predominately hearing/English environment is extremely difficult even when good educational support is in place. There is a great lack of deaf awareness in the hearing population (including amongst professionals such as teachers and doctors) and hearing people are often scared to try and communicate with a deaf person, creating additional barriers for deaf young people to overcome as they move towards independence. Public transport is particularly difficult, increasing isolation and limiting access to social and cultural experiences for young people. It takes persistence, confidence, high self-esteem and good social skills for a deaf young person to access the support they need, and to overcome the difficulties that surround them in the hearing population – and yet young people often feel embarrassed about their deafness, and see themselves as stupid, worthless and helpless. James, one of the current deaf club members told us: ‘Apart from having being profoundly deaf, I am wheelchair bound due to Cerebral Palsy, which at times has made me feel worthless. I have, thanks to the support and dedication of the Leaveners, for the first time in my life been able to find an inner confidence, which has enabled me to fully express myself through Words, Signs & Vibes. Being a part of the Leaveners make me feel important.’ The integrated nature of the group (half deaf, half hearing) is crucial in enabling deaf young people to become proud of their deaf identity, as well as confident, relaxed and creative in working and communicating with hearing friends. Tom, another club member says: ‘We all have fun together at the same time as learning new things. I can be proud being a deaf person in the group.’ Our innovative accessible drama style uses physical theatre, mime, sign song and dance. Drama has a special part to play in increasing confidence and communication skills, and building strong friendships through working as a team to put on a show – Gem and Becky both enjoy this aspect of the club: ‘It helps me build up my confidence in meeting new people, making new friends. Also I love taking part in plays!’ ‘I have learnt so much about friends, working together and drama. The drama is always different, very hard work but good fun especially when we put on a production.’ We raise expectations – three deaf club members have gone on to study drama at university – and offer training and work experience to club members as they get older and develop into leaders. Patrick, a club member who sits on the Leaveners Management Committee, says: ‘It has given me an interest into drama which I have followed into college and has also improved my public speaking’ Words, Signs & Vibes makes a positive difference to the lives of deaf young people. Another club member recently told us: ‘this Saturday drama group has had a big impact on my life! the people I now know as my friends . . . have changed the way I see my deafness in so many ways - I used to be ashamed, but now - I am what I am!’. Last year, the young club members devised a game show style performance, designed to teach the audience basic deaf awareness and the BSL alphabet. WS&V performed to nearly 2000 people, received a national Wavemakers award for young people’s achievement, and were invited to perform at the International Mime Festival in London. The game show has been adapted by older club members to produce a Theatre-in-Education performance and workshop for Birmingham schools, helping create a more understanding and deaf aware culture in school communities, and improving the life experiences of many more deaf young people. One young member has also been inspired to set up a club in her home town, Chesterfield, which we are supporting her to do. 3. What do you hope to achieve? Can you suggest specific local and/or general objectives that might indicate success? The WS&V project aims to raise expectations, self-esteem and resilience in deaf and hearing young people, to promote integration between the deaf and hearing communities, to encourage and motivate deaf young people to take part in drama activities, improve communication, drama and facilitation skills and create innovative drama. We provide an accessible, supportive environment in which deaf young people feel confident and safe, and can develop skills through our innovative drama techniques. •Contributing to the development of integrated youth theatre in Britain •Working with at least 40 young deaf people Indicators of success will include: Numbers of deaf and hearing young people participating in activities, numbers of activities individuals participate in, positive evaluations from participants, positive informal feedback from family members and audience, observed social integration in and out of sessions, observed improvement in communication/drama skills, numbers of young people attending training or volunteering. 4. How does the project fit in with the work and plans of your own and other organisations active in the same area? How familiar are you with their methods and results and how will you disseminate your own? WS&V works closely with local deaf organisations. Examples include recent partnership projects with Braidwood School (for deaf young people), Classworks theatre company and Common Ground Deaf Dance company. Through partnership projects with local arts organisations (such as our South Asian dance projects run with Sampad) and recruiting new volunteers (for example from Reading University’s ‘Theatre Arts, Education and Deaf Studies’ degree), our staff and volunteers learn about different working practices. We are the only regular integrated drama club in the UK (so far!), and we are planning a conference in 2008 to disseminate the good practice we have developed. 5. How will the project be undertaken, staffed and managed? Who will be working on it, what will they do, and what special facilities will they require? The project is run and developed by Angela Twigg, our full-time drama worker. Her co-worker (Jayne Fletcher) works part-time on the delivery of activities. They are supported by a team of drama and communication support volunteers, and freelance qualified interpreters. On holiday and residential projects we also have catering and pastoral care volunteers. Angela and Jayne are managed by the Leaveners Coordinator, who answers to the Leaveners Management Committee. Two part-time finance and publicity staff members also support the project. Activities take place in a variety of locations – the Saturday club, is held at the Crescent Theatre in the centre of Birmingham, where performances are often also run. Holiday projects are held at local Quaker Meeting Houses, or other community venues in the city. Residentials are at nearby youth hostels or youth centres, and workshops are held in a wide variety of schools and arts centres. 6. When will/did the project start and when do you expect it to be complete? The WS&V Saturday club has been running for about five years, although the Leaveners have been doing integrated deaf/hearing drama for over ten years. WS&V has grown and developed to include the range of holiday projects, workshops and other activities detailed above, which are on-going through the year, and we hope its growth will continue as long as there is a need for it.