Training

With an excellent reputation for our work with young marginalised people, the company is regularly invited to talk at conferences throughout the country, demonstrating how the arts can contribute in terms of their personal, social and cultural development. We also provide training in Communication, Public Speaking and Personal Development. Some examples include:

Children in Residential Care Conference (CIRC)

A presentation of the work the company does with young people who are Looked-After and Accommodated; demonstrating how drama can be used to explore issues around being in care, and how our innovative practice promotes success in young people.

" It was inspirational"

"Excellent - very relevant to my work & practice"

"I will use the ideas with the children I work with".

Delegates at The Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care

South Lanarkshire Conference on Emotional Literacy

A presentation of our work for adults who work in the Education and Health Sectors in South Lanarkshire, exploring new ways of engaging with children and young people in order to develop their emotional literacy.

"Thank you. This was really useful - a new and enjoyable way of approaching a challenging topic"
Conference participant

Three events for East Ayrshire Council (Corporate Parenting Forum) for Directors of Services, Elected Members and Community Planners*

Solar Bear delivered three presentations around the issues faced by young people in care and how these issues can be addressed through the Local Authorities Corporate Parenting Responsibilities.

"...the impact was immense and has a direct affect on future policy makers".
East Ayrshire Council

Strathclyde University - Arts in Social Contexts inclusive practice workshop

Solar Bear is regularly invited to deliver workshops on their practice with final year students from the Arts in a Social Context Course, offering students an insight into the challenges they may face and how they can adapt their work to meet the needs of the groups they work with.

Promote Y-T - Skill-Up!

Solar Bear have hosted three workshops for this annual event, looking specifically at the work we do in relation to Arts in a Social Context, and how we manage challenging behaviour in a workshops environment.

Scottish Arts Council - Good Practice in Inclusive Arts workshop

This was a one-off workshop for arts workers and hosted by the SAC. Exploring issues of good practice especially in working with people affected by mental health issues.

Scottish Youth Theatre

Primarily a Deaf Awareness workshop, this session trained Scottish Youth Theatre staff in communication with D/deaf children and adults accessing a theatre setting. Training Included; basic training in finger spelling; theatre and workshop related signs; signing for reception staff and deaf awareness training around how to work with those who did not use British Sing Language. Included in the training day was how to adapt workshops and drama games to suit D/deaf children.

"It really began to make me address my own continued professional practice and think about other ways I can progress my work"

"It really helped major aspects of my job. It was fun - packed a lot in, and taught really well"

Scottish Youth Theatre Staff

Communication Skills Training

Modern politics require councilors and officials to master a range of communications skills to ensure that their voices are heard effectively. Solar Bear was invited to design and deliver a programme of training sessions for Elected Members, assisting them in developing their public speaking and presentation skills. Ten councillors have so far taken part in training sessions to date and a further programme is planned for 2009.

"Excellent.... very useful... thank you"
Elected Member, East Ayrshire Council

Solar Bear can offer several staff development training packages for groups including:

• Deaf Awareness training within the Performing Arts
  We can offer training for deaf etiquette and awareness for anyone working within performing arts setting.  This Workshop covers such things as how to work with a deaf audience and how to make your services accessible for them as well as looking at Signed and Captioned performances and how accessible these are.  We can work with box office and front of house staff to provide awareness and communication for the most appropriate methods of working with D/deaf members of the public.  This course will also include some basic introduction to Sign Language for work related signs.
• Deaf awareness training to front of house staff bar staff and box office staff
  We can offer tailor made training in general deaf awareness and deaf etiquette to front line staff.
• Deaf Awareness workshop for children and young people through theatre
  These workshops are specially designed for children or young people who are in contact with Deaf children either through school or a social setting.  Workshops are designed around a theatre style using role play and creativity to encourage awareness and avoid discrimination.  Basic Sign language will be taught at theses workshops.
• Building bridges workshops (D/deaf children and young people with hearing peers)
  We can provide workshops to join the gap between children and young people who are separated by hearing impairments.   The aim of these workshops is to let the young people explore their peer's experiences and encourage social inclusion.
• Making Drama accessible and inclusive in schools and social groups
  Looking at how to enable young deaf people to choose drama as a school subject and what facilities are required for this.  How to adapt the course and how to teach their peers to work with young deaf people.  Also looking at how to make performances accessible for deaf audience. The aim of this workshop is to encourage young deaf people to get involved in theatre and drama.

Examples of Training Workshops Solar Bear have delivered

• Scottish Youth Theatre
  This was primarily a Deaf Awareness workshop.  Training in how to communicate and work with D/deaf children or adults in a theatre setting.  Including basic training in finger spelling, theatre and workshop related signs as well as reception staff signs and deaf awareness training around how to work with non BSL users.  We also gave examples of how to adapt workshops and drama games to suit D/deaf children.
• Strathclyde University A one day course about Arts in a Social Context and Inclusive Practice.
• Deaf Action
  A one day theatre / drama workshop for deaf adults.
• National Deaf Childrens Society
  Drama workshops for all age groups.