Roll Your Sleeves Up To Collaborate & Create! A Pilot ACI Fashion, Applied Theatre & Newham's Youth Empowerment Services (Y.E.S.) Curriculum Project leading to an Upcycling & Styling Public Installation!!

Liselle Terret, Saabira Mohammed and Sasha Raam

University of East London

Practice-Based Education impacting GOS outcomes

This presentation will share insights into the cross-discipline, inclusive pedagogical partnership between UEL's ACI Fashion, Applied Theatre and Newham’s Youth Empowerment Services (Y.E.S.) ‘informal education’ approach, ignited by the young people themselves.

Following fortnightly collaborative planning meetings (between UEL staff & students with Y.E.S. Youth Workers ( 4 months prior to the project happening), the 3-part project involved the young people spending two evenings working on an Upcycling and Styling Fashion Project, culminating in a public-installation and an outdoor screening at The Source.  This was part of our industry-facing Mental Wealth Module, marking our first curriculum-based YES/UEL professional workshop-project that built upon the success of ACTIVOTE, our previous funded pilot touring theatre partnership between UEL/Y.E.S./The Source/Learning Stages (formally Applecart Arts).

The presentation will include Saabira Mohammed, final year BA Fashion student and Sasha Raam, MFA Directing Theatre student reflecting upon their roles in this project, the professional experiences and skills gained,  such as collaborative co-facilitation, workshop planning, and evaluation of the project.  The presentation will also include reflections from the young people, Y.E.S. Youth Workers, and UEL staff as well as sharing photographs taken during the process and of the final public installation.