Saturday 3rd March 2012
10.30-4.30
facilitated by Eva Marie Chadwick (nee Bryer)

An in-depth workshop using dramatherapy tools and techniques, focussing on the awareness of yourself in relation to others as a role player

• Working in the here and now – being able to locate and contain your personal story and understanding what you bring into the space.
• Enhancing emotional sensitivity – being able to recognize the nuances and respond to emotional dynamics in yourself and others
• Developing your awareness of the other in relation to yourself – being able to respond and reflect objectively
• Exploring embodiment and de-roling in work and everyday life -looking at the many roles we play.

Dramatherapy uses action methods to facilitate creativity, imagination, learning, insight and growth. Dramatherapists work with a wide variety of clients and settings in education, healthcare and the corporate sector. For more information visit the British Association of Dramatherapy at: www.badth.org.uk.

Lunch and refreshments provided.

Please contact Barry (barry@impromptultd.com) or Rachel (rachel@impromptultd.com) on 01785 221820 if you would like to attend by Friday 24th February 2012.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Article by Steve Harvey,
Director
Impromptu

It is a matter of common knowledge that we all operate from multiple levels of awareness most of the time. We are aware of ourselves, others around us, our emotions, our beliefs, our environment. Working as a professional role player I am aware of how important it is not only to engage with all of these levels of awareness but, importantly, to connect with meta-awareness, an awareness that has an overview of all of these dimensions and monitors them, constantly.

So, I will be conscious of the role I am portraying, the history, context, attitude, preferences and style of that individual. I will inhabit that person as if they are real for me, identifying with him (or her!) finding that essential sympathy with who they are. I will also be aware of myself in that role and how that constructed character subtly intersects with my own. I will be mindful of the professional environment which that person inhabits, drawing from the understanding I have accessed about the organisational, language, cultural, and environmental nuances that characterise his world, immersing myself in it as if it were my own.

I will be super aware of the individual with whom I am interacting in the role play and how my character is engaging with him or her at multiple levels, the intersecting layers of relationship, emotion, learning, reality and simulation. In particular I will be focusing on safety, ensuring that this experience is one that will positively stretch and build confidence. I will sense the group and their dynamic; their expectations, concerns, anxieties and aspirations, ensuring that their needs are met too, knowing that their vicarious experience of their colleague’s engagement will be impacting on them too.

Typically there is a facilitator present, whose own style, needs, preferences, anxieties, objectives will form part of my awareness. Our relationship is crucial and I will be sensitive to how our interaction is an essential part of the experience of the whole community in this learning space.

Some of my attention will be outside of the room too. Invisible and critical sponsors and stakeholders whose own fortunes may be impacted by the effectiveness and success of what is taking place within. And finally, there is that awareness of my own beliefs and paradigm that inform these multiple dimensions of awareness; a meta awareness that links and frames the others. I endeavour to hold this lightly so that I might learn too, so that I might grow and be that much more aware, next time.

It is tiring work being a professional role player. It is challenging and stretching.  And rewarding. And hugely satisfying. And each occasion produces a new combination of these levels of awareness in a story that unfolds unpredictably, moment by moment.

On August 20th Malmaison Birmingham hosted our Summer Social, and a lovely afternoon was had siping bubbley and catching up with team members and partners. Malmiason is a great venue in the Mailbox (previously the original Birmingham Sorting Office), which boasts a range of fine canalside drinking and dining venues that are worth a visit if you’ve not been before. It was a real joy to see all those who attended, and have a chance to eat, drink and be merry with the fabulous Impromptu team. As you’ll see from the photos we had a very happy afternoon!

To those unable to come this time we’d like to extend the same message to you – namely to thank you all for contributing to the team this year and to remind you how much you are valued. Feedback on the event is very welcome, and if anyone has photos to share please let us know. Our work being as it is we usually only see each other in pairs or very small groups, so this opportunity to assemble a larger group (minus work!) was really important to us.

Thank you again. Connie

Some Photos

We were delighted recently to have a second opportunity to support the excellent work in education delivered by Teach First. They are a really innovative organisation, transforming education in the country’s schools that face the biggest day to day and strategic challenges, including poverty and underachievement. Additionally, talented graduates are trained and supported in becoming top teachers and managers. You may already be aware of Teach First, but for those who are not we thought you might like to hear a little about them.

From their website “The charity Teach First is a powerful movement founded to directly address the problem of educational disadvantage, Founded in 2002, Teach First has already changed the lives of thousands of young people. Teach First harnesses the energy, enthusiasm and drive of exceptional graduates to provide leadership, motivation and, above all, inspirational teaching in schools in challenging circumstances across England”. The basic idea is that high achieving graduates interested in teaching are supported through hands on teacher training, working in schools facing considerable challenges, for example in our inner cities. Graduates gain stimulating, work based training; pupils gain top flight motivated trainee teachers who are not only subject experts from top universities, but also inspirational role models.

Retention of staff in education is a further problem the Teach First team are successfully making impressive headway in. “Only 10% of all teachers would consider teaching in a school in challenging circumstances. Every Teach First teacher is placed in schools in challenging circumstances. Of these, over 90% stay for a minimum of two years, over 50% stay longer and 67% of those placed since 2003 remain actively engaged with addressing educational disadvantage through Teach First’s ambassador community”.
As part of Impromptu’s not-for-profit initiative Joe and I were fortunate enough to work previously at an event running workshops for graduate teachers, and more recently Steve and Bridgitta ran an evening seminar for prospective head teachers. The session provided a highly interactive opportunity for the participants to explore strategies for having ‘stretching’ conversations with members of their staff. Feedback was extremely positive. We’d like to congratulate Teach First on their outstanding efforts, and their recent Ofted results (excellent in 44 categories of training provision), and hope to work with them again soon.

Asda is embarking on a major company-wide leadership programme – the Asda Leadership Event – in partnership with leadership development specialist Cirrus, supported by interactive learning experts, Impromptu. The programme is closely aligned to Asda’s strategy and core purpose and will engage 10,000 leaders and managers across the UK.
Asda sees effective leadership as central to supporting its strategic aims by helping colleagues across the business to bring strategy to life, and build on recent successes to improve performance.

Following a series of launch events, the programme will be rolled out across the organisation throughout 2011.
The launch process uses a range of innovative techniques including specially designed activities and role-play to engage leaders and managers with Asda’s vision, purpose and values. Cirrus has also created a toolkit of activities to enable Asda leaders to deliver the leadership framework internally and embed learning across the organisation.
“The Cirrus team have worked closely in partnership with us to co-create a programme which will have an impact on everything our leaders do, every day,” says Amanda Cox, head of learning & development at Asda. “We value the expertise Cirrus brings, which has blended well with our own skills and experience.”

‘Steve Harvey, Impromptu Director, is excited about the opportunity to engage with both Asda and Cirrus: “Impromptu has worked in close partnership with Cirrus to deliver the interactive elements of the Asda Leadership Event. This is a very exciting programme for us, and a chance to stretch our talents into new territory. We have employed a range of techniques, fusing various performance approaches, improvisation, forum theatre and participant interaction to help ensure that each, tailored event has maximum impact, relevance and energy.”

Cirrus managing partner Simon Hayward, comments: “It is exciting to be working so closely with such a forward-thinking and people-focused organisation. Asda wanted a programme which would become ingrained in the Asda culture, ensuring that everyday leadership behaviours make a big difference to performance. Impromptu have helped us to make it real for Asda leaders through demonstration and great interaction.”

In November 2010 Asda announced it will create more than 7,500 new jobs in 2011. Over the past five years the retailer has increased its sales by more than a third from around £15bn a year to around £20bn, creating more than 30,000 jobs across the UK in the process. In that time it has opened more than 70 new stores and rolled out its home shopping service nationwide.