A forum for empowerment and change MpowerIssue 2 you April/May 2010 An Actionwork Magazine Issue 2 April/May 2010 An Actionwork Magazine Learning to love your looks Living with epilepsy The psychology of bullying Drive for peace Getting bullied to experience empowerment - Film production with young people - Interactive workshops -Issue based Theatre in Education Recent clients include Norwich Playhouse UK, Anti-Bullying Al- liance (ABA), Government De- partments, (eg DFES, DOE)British Council, Regional and Borough Councils, Kyoto University, the Dawn Center Japan, University of London, Whitechapel Hospital, The Norwegian Institute of Dramath- erapy, Belmarsh prison, Exeter Uni- versity, schools & youth centres across the UK. We don’t just talk we do Actionwork Actionwork comes to you. We travel the length and breadth of Theatre - Film - Education the country and to many destina- tions abroad. Please contact us Action = The causation of change around chatting about a topic, for further details. by the exertion of power actually get in to it. Live your topic, document it, draw inspira- We want to hear from you. Work = Accomplishment through tion from it, feel the vibes of it, action activities tune in to it. Take your thoughts Actionwork, PO Box 433, WSM, BS24 and ideas on to a new level. Find 0WY, England UK Actionwork makes films and new angles of experience and produces theatre. Also check out expression. Feel the force! Tel: 01934 815163 our creative workshops & other Website: www.actionwork.com educational sessions. Make a film, learn how to use a camera, direct actors or act Actionwork specialises in tack- yourself. Create music and drama. ling bullying, racism, and sexism Play games! Produce a play, make through the power of multimedia masks, design a set or manage a and action. Arts fusion, ritual, stage. Have fun and create ac- celebration, dance, drama, ipower, tion. Action Stations! Go! and tings all combine to create an energised action method holis- Actionwork offers many pro- tic programme. grammes including those listed here: Explore difficult subjects in fun - Action methods and exciting ways. Don’t just sit Mpower You A forum for empowerment and change Editor Note from the Editor: Andy Hickson Welcome to the second issue of Empower You. I must start with a special than-you to our our Contributions Manager Contributions Manager, Rebecca, for doing more Rebecca Brynolf than her normal workload in this issue while I try to finish my PhD thesis and complete a new book Contributors on dealing with bullying. Rebecca Brynolf Andy Hickson In the UK, parliamentary elections are looming, as Dr Sue Jennings we can see with the televised debates. Despite the Dan Mitchell hype they are turning out to be sanitised and safe. Dean Burnett PhD None of the main parties have so far agreed to Ceri Padley make anti-bullying training for teachers a core part of teacher training, despite petitions, letters and Cartoonist cross-party agreed parliamentary motions. I will continue to press for basic skills Dan Mitchell training to be offered to students including rights awareness, assertiveness skills, body language knowledge and confidence building. Photographer Andy Hickson In this issue we have some fabulous contributions, resources and stories to help empower you and those around you. We have some very personal stories of growth and a whole load of tips to help make you feel good. Empowerment training can have a funny twist to it; once people have become empowered the trainer is no longer required, is surplas to requirements. In a strange twist the empowerer becomes redundant. How’s that for empowerment! Contents: 4-5 Highlights from the months ahead 6 Top 10 pick-me-ups 7 Readers letters - Charley answers your questions Mpower You is produced by 8-9 Learning to love your looks Actionwork UK 10-11 Empowerment through the experience of being bullied PO Box 433, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset BS24 0WY 12-13 Resources for teachers: Mini play about cyberbullying 14-15 Something else for teachers: lesson plans and resources Web: www.mpower.eu Copyright © Actionwork 16 Living with epilepsy April 2010 17 The psychology of bulyling The views contained within this 18-19 Drive for Peace: UK to Mongolia and back magazine are not necessarily 20 Dealing with the ‘transitional blues’ the views of Actionwork UK or 21 David Plank: Cartoon its partners 23 Profile: Danny Grewcock 3rd Oxbridge Boat Race 11th Holocaust Remembrance Day What’s On The long running grudge match between Also known as Yom Hashoah, a day to Coming up in the months ahead; music, the UK’s top two universities takes place remember the millions of Jewish men, theatre, art, peaceful protests, eco once again on the River Thames. No women and children, whose lives were friendly events, dance, workshops, con- points for giggling every time someone lost during the Holocaust. ferences, films, adventure walks & more. says, “cox”. Info: theboatrace.org 11th Cornish Theatre Collective Spring April Clean Auction 3rd-9th Inspired Action: Changing the The Cornish Theatre Collective will be world from the inside out auctioning items from their substantial 1st Timmy Mallet Knighted Seven days of conferences out in the stock of costumes, props and memora- Today the Queen dubs country focusing bilia. collectivearts.cornwall@google- children’s entertainer, on helping the mail.com Timmy Mallet, for environment and outstanding contri- making your life 12th TEDxEuston bution to children’s more ecofriendly. Our Destiny is in Our Hands – How new television. Info: findhorn. ideas are shaping our interaction with org/inspiredac- Africa. Info: tedxeuston.com 1st – 30th Autism tion Awareness Month 14th TEDxCardiff With figures growing 3rd – 17th Edin- In the spirit of ideas worth spreading to one in ten children burgh Interna- TEDx is a program of local, self-organ- living with some form tional Science ised events that bring people together of autism, use this Festival to share a TED-like experience. At the month as an opportunity to spread the Blood, comedy and computer games kick Cardiff event video and live speakers word and explore the answers. off the 22nd Edinburgh Science Festival! will combine to spark deep discussion. Info: autism-awareness.org.uk Join the search to make artificial blood, Info: Tedxcardiff.wordpress.com see live comedy with Robin Ince and 1st – 30th Actionwork Anti-bullying even watch an autopsy on a cow. 16th Wild Foods by Canoe Workshops Info: sciencefestival.co.uk Travel through River Dart in Devon by Taking place all over the UK, members canoe and seek out inaccessible and of the Actionwork team come to your 6th – 7th The Game of Love secret wild places to find edible and school/event and run fun, interactive Max Theatre brings you a naturalistic dra- useful plants. workshops on a range of topics. ma from the 60s and follow Carol on her Info: 01803 868269/wildwise.co.uk Info: 01934 815163/actionwork.com emotional journey through drugs, abuse and a life working the streets. 22nd Earth Day 1st-17th Juliet and her Romeo Info: 01170735171/almataverntheatre. Events taking place all over the world From the co-directors behind War Horse co.uk will focus on Earth Net’s campaign for a and Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, the carbon-free future. Info: earthday.net BOV hosts a classic turned on its head 7th World Health Day by casting the lovers in their 80s and has A global event that seeks to make pollut- 22nd – 25th Shrewsbury International their children, not parents, seeking to ing cities around the world, healthier. Cartoon Festival prevent the match. Info: who.int An annual event that attracts full-time Info: 01179877877/bristololdvic.org.uk professional artists and caricaturists 8th Family Bushcraft Day from the UK and abroad. This year’s 2nd World Autism Day Invigorating day for all ages to try out theme is magic, myth and mystery. You can Stand up for Autism too, by outdoor skills. Info: shrewsburycartoonfestival.com uploading your photo and message - and Info: Mount Pleasant Eco Park, Cornwall. help us create a truly global message for 01209891500/mpecopark.co.uk/courses 23rd – 25th Machynlleth Comedy World Autism Awareness Day. Festival Info: worldautismawarenessday.org / 10th Encourage a Young Writer Day Fantastic comedians from all over the autistica.org.uk Encourage your young writer to put pen UK are travelling to North Wales to to paper today. Also an ideal opportunity perform in Wales’ most historic town. 2nd – 5th Good Friday to Easter Monday to encourage those who have little love The tickets are dirt cheap and amaz- Public holiday for the UK, traditionally the for writing. Go to the info link and search ing value for money. You’ve just got to Christian celebration of the resurrection for 6 Ways to Encourage Young Writers get there and learn how to pronounce of Jesus… and possibly his love of choco- for tips. Machynlleth! late and bunnies if supermarkets are to Info: scholastic.com Info: machcomedyfestival.co.uk be believed. 23rd – 25th Global Youth Service Day 1st – 31st Actionwork Anti-bullying 25th – 28th THE SECOND UNESCO Annual campaign to celebrate and mo- Workshops. WORLD-CONFERENCE FOR bilise young people who improve their Taking place all over the UK, members ARTS EDUCATION communities by learning and providing of the Actionwork team come to your In Seoul/South Korea: http://portal. services. school/event and run fun, interactive unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ Info: gysd.org workshops on a range of topics. ID=39674&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_ Info: 01934 815163/actionwork.com SECTION=201.html 25th Dirtbox A mixture of sketches, stand up, short 3rd Early May Bank Holiday 27th Obama’s foreign policy is a gift to films and live animation with some topi- On the first Monday in May, pupils and his enemies cal, bitingly satirical posters, all down at teachers get a day off to enjoy the early Debate at Intelligence Squared.