1. Warm-up (15 minutes)

• Short round of introductions: each participant shares their name (if needed) and one word that represents “community” or “living together” for them.
• Give a short explanation of what stop-motion is: e.g. “Stop-motion is a way of making a video by taking lots of pictures of objects or drawings and then playing them quickly one after another, so it looks like they are moving.”
• Show short examples of stop-motion films (e.g. LEGO or paper-based animations) to inspire participants. You’ll find many examples on YouTube.
• Highlight that participants can use LEGO, blocks, figurines, or simple paper drawings to create their own animations.

2. Story Development in Small Groups (60 minutes)

• In groups of 3–4, participants brainstorm a short story related to a chosen theme that can be anything related to “community”.
• They sketch the main scenes on a storyboard template (3-5 key scenes are enough).
• Decide on the characters (objects), props, and settings needed.
• Groups create the sets and characters using LEGO/objects.
• They rehearse moving characters and testing camera placement.

3. Stop-Motion Filming (40–50 minutes)

• Groups animate and capture their stories scene by scene.
• Each participant takes a role (animating, taking photos, directing, narrating, etc).
• The facilitator provides technical support and time checks.

4. Editing (45-60 minutes)

• After shooting, each group reviews their captured frames and decides how to assemble them into a short film.
• Participants can use simple editing apps (e.g. Stop Motion Studio, iMovie, CapCut) to adjust timing, add transitions, titles, or background music.
• Encourage them to include narration or subtitles if they want to make the message clearer across languages.
• The facilitator supports the process.

5. Screening & Sharing (20–30 minutes)

• Groups present their finished stop-motion clips.
• First screening: participants watch silently.
• Second viewing: creators explain what they wanted to express; others share their interpretations.
• Afterward, invite the audience to respond: they can share what the story meant to them, ask questions to the creators, or reflect on similarities/differences with their own experiences.
• Encourage focusing on meaning and feelings rather than technical quality.

6. Sharing Beyond the Group (Optional)

• If participants feel comfortable, invite them to share their finished stop-motion films on social media or community platforms.
• Discuss briefly how sharing creative work publicly can foster dialogue, raise awareness, and celebrate multicultural perspectives.

1. Introduction (10 mins):

Please explain that during the activity the communication will be solely through body language, with no words permitted during the image-making process. One person will be the ‘sculptor’ who gently shapes others (‘the clay’) into an image using only touch. Absolutely emphasise consent: anyone being ‘clay’ can always say no to being touched or can decline to participate entirely. Demonstrate what gentle, respectful sculpting looks like with a volunteer—showing appropriate touch on shoulders, arms, and head positioning but respecting personal boundaries.

2. Warm-up activities (15 minutes):

For this part, the facilitator can select relevant activities from the additional chapter at the end of the Toolbox (e.g. body awareness, trust exercises, or working with emotions) to support group connection, presence, and expression.

3. Individual image exploration (15 minutes):

Before making the group “sculptures”, each person creates their own solo statue showing an emotion or situation. Practise being both a sculptor and clay in pairs—taking turns sculpting each other. This builds comfort with the process and the touch involved before moving to more complex group work.

4. Real image– current reality (20 minutes):

Choose a sculptor, who can be either a volunteer or a facilitator. The sculptor creates an image showing the current reality of a problem the group has identified together (e.g., exclusion in school, inequality at work, family control, bullying, poverty, and discrimination). The sculptor physically moulded several people into the image without speaking.

Once complete, the group observes the frozen image in silence for 1-2 minutes, then discusses:

• What do you see in this image? Describe it objectively first.
• Where is the power located? Who has it? Who doesn’t?
• What relationships exist between the figures?
• What emotions are visible and embodied?
• How does this reflect the reality we know?

5. Ideal image – desired future (15 minutes):

The same sculptor or a different one creates an image showing the desired future—how we wish things could be if the oppression were overcome. This is not fantasy but achievable change. The group observes and discusses the differences from the real image. What has transformed? What new relationships exist?

6. Transitional images will be used to illustrate the path to change during a 15-minute segment.

Here’s where it gets powerful: What are the concrete steps between the real image and the ideal image? The group creates 2-3 intermediate images showing the journey of transformation. What needs to happen to move from oppression to liberation? These images make change tangible and visible.

7. Dynamisation (10 minutes, optional but powerful):

Bring the images to life in extreme slow motion (like 0.25x speed), showing the physical transformation from real to ideal. Participants move their bodies through the journey.

0. Group preparation (20–30 mins, before the session begins):

Before the session opens to the full group, the facilitator works with everyone to prepare. Explain Forum Theatre clearly: what the anti-model is, what the Joker does, and what spect-actors are invited to do. Together, identify or confirm a topic based on participants’ real experiences.

A small sub-group (4–6 volunteers) creates and rehearses the anti-model scene with the support of the facilitator, while the rest of the group becomes spect-actors. If the group is larger (10–12 participants), you can divide them into two groups, each creating and performing a different theatre scene.

Allow time for a short rehearsal and a warm-up (choose 2–3 activities from the additional chapter at the end of the Toolbox, depending on the group’s needs). Once everyone understands their role and the scenes are ready, the formal session can begin.

1. Introduction (10 mins):

Welcome the audience (this can include both young people who are not part of the play and members of the wider community) and explain the Forum Theatre concept. Emphasise that they will see a scene where someone faces oppression or injustice. After watching it once, they can intervene by shouting, ‘STOP!’ and stepping on the scene to try different solutions. Please clarify that there are no ‘magic’ solutions, as we are collaboratively exploring realistic possibilities. The Joker facilitates but doesn’t provide answers. This work is about collective wisdom and experimentation.

Roles in Forum Theatre

Joker (Facilitator):
The Joker guides the Forum Theatre process. They explain the rules, encourage audience participation, and keep the discussion constructive and respectful. The Joker does not give solutions but helps the group explore possibilities.

Protagonist
The protagonist is the main character who experiences oppression. They want to achieve something but are blocked by individuals, systems, or social norms. The story focuses on their struggle. IMPORTANT NOTE: Spect-actors can substitute this character, but not just change his/her personality or motivation fundamentally.

Oppressor(s):
Oppressors are the characters who maintain or reinforce oppression. They may act intentionally or unconsciously and often represent power structures (authority figures, institutions, social pressure). IMPORTANT NOTE: Spect-actors can’t substitute this character in their interventions.

Actors:

Actors perform the initial scene and replay it multiple times. They respond realistically to interventions, maintaining the logic of the situation rather than making it easy for the spectators to “win” (resolve the conflict/oppression).

Allies/Neutral Characters (optional):
These are characters who may support the protagonist or remain neutral. They help show how systems of oppression and inequality operate in daily life, and invite participants to rehearse possible actions for change in a safe environment. They can get a handle on the situation and become key figures in testing different strategies for change.

Spect-actors, also known as audience participants, are not passive spectators. They are invited to stop the performance, replace the protagonist, and try out alternative actions to change the situation. This practice turns spectators into “spect-actors”.

2. Present the anti-model (20 minutes):

Actors perform a prepared scene showing oppression or injustice. Examples may include workplace discrimination, bullying, family conflict, housing injustice, police harassment, educational barriers, and healthcare discrimination. The scene should end with the oppression unresolved and the protagonist unable to overcome the situation. Keep the scene realistic, relatable to participants’ actual experiences, and approximately 5–7 minutes long.

3. Initial Discussion – Joker’s Facilitation (10 minutes):

The Joker leads the analysis by asking: What happened in the scene? Who was oppressed? Who was the oppressor? What made it difficult for the protagonist to change the situation? What emotions did you observe? What power dynamics were at play? This critical analysis prepares participants for informed interventions.

4. Second presentation with interventions from the audience (40 minutes):

The scene is played again from the beginning. The Joker invites the spect-actors (the audience) to shout “STOP!” at any moment and step into the scene, replacing the protagonist to try a different approach. The Joker should also be ready to make the first “STOP!” if needed, to encourage participation, until the audience feels comfortable to step in and get involved.

Key rules:

• Spect-actors can only replace the oppressed character or the neutral actors, not the oppressor (we can only change ourselves, not force others to change)
• Actors stay in character and provide realistic resistance—no easy victories
• The Joker stops interventions that are ‘magical’ or unrealistic solutions (no Superman swooping in!).
• Multiple participants should try different approaches
• After each intervention (3-5 minutes), briefly discuss: What worked? What didn’t? Why? What might happen next?
• Encourage building on previous interventions

1. Introduction (10 mins):

Introduce the golden rules of improvisation: accept what your partner offers (“Yes”) and then build on it (“and”). Instead of blocking ideas or saying no, you add something new, keeping the scene moving and collaborative. Emphasise the importance of making your partner look good by offering support and cooperation. Emphasise that in improv, there are no mistakes, only opportunities, and you can utilise everything creatively. Stress the need to commit fully, as half-hearted participation limits the energy and fun of the activity. Reinforce the idea that the group is learning together, supporting one another, and that experiencing failure is a valuable part of the process.

You can also summarise these as a simple list for participants:

• Say “Yes, and…”
• Support your partner and make them look good
• There are no mistakes, only opportunities
• Be present and fully committed
• Listen and react, don’t plan ahead
• Enjoy the process and take risks

2. Warm-up Games (20 minutes):

For the warm-up, the facilitator can select appropriate exercises from the the additional chapter at the end of the Toolbox, choosing activities that support focus, connection, and group energy, depending on the group’s needs.

3. Main Activities (choose based on group level):

Beginner Exercises (20–30 minutes):

Use “One-Word Story”: Participants stand or sit in a circle. Together, they create a story by saying one word at a time, going around the circle. Each person adds only one word when it’s their turn. The goal is to build a coherent story while practising active listening, staying present, and accepting what others offer (“Yes, and…”). Encourage participants not to overthink and to keep the flow going.

Play “Freeze Tag”: Two participants start improvising a short scene. At any moment, someone from the audience can say “Freeze!”, and the two actors must stop exactly in their positions. The new person taps one of the actors, takes their place, keeps the same physical position, and starts a completely new scene inspired by that pose. This exercise helps participants think creatively and react quickly.

Try “Conducted Story”: The facilitator acts like a conductor, pointing to different participants who then continue the story. Participants can only speak when the facilitator points at them and must stop when the facilitator moves on. This encourages focus, quick thinking, and collaboration, as the story is built together in an unpredictable way.

End with “Emotional Replay”: Two or more participants improvise a simple scene. After a short time, the facilitator stops them and asks them to replay the same scene, but with a different emotion (e.g. joy, anger, fear, excitement). The situation stays the same, but the emotional tone changes. This helps participants explore how emotions influence communication and behaviour.

Intermediate Exercises (20–30 minutes):

Introduce Party Quirks, where one participant hosts a party and guests arrive with secret characters or behaviours that the host must guess. Play Slide Show, creating a story based on imaginary vacation photos, with one narrator and others posing as images. Use an Expert Panel, where participants act as experts answering audience questions on made-up topics. Try Character Swap, allowing two characters in a scene to gradually exchange personalities. Include props, encouraging participants to transform a random object into as many different items as possible.

Advanced Exercises (20–30 minutes):

Facilitate Long Form Improv, developing an extended improvised story of 10–15 minutes from a single suggestion. Introduce Harold, a structured long-form exercise using recurring themes and callbacks. Use Monologue-Scene, where one participant shares a true personal story and others improvise scenes inspired by it. Explore Status Games, focusing on power dynamics through high-status and low-status characters.

4. Cool Down and Reflection (10 minutes):

End the session with a gentle cool-down activity, followed by a group reflection. Encourage participants to share how they feel, what they have learnt, and what they find challenging or enjoyable.

1. Introduction (15 mins):

Introduce the history of shadow theatre. Explain that it originated in China and India over 2,000 years ago, spread along the Silk Road, and became a cultural tradition in many parts of the world. Present the basic principle of how shadows are created: a light source, an object, and a screen. Demonstrate a few simple hand shadows. Emphasise storytelling through shape and movement rather than words.

2. Warm-up (20 mins):

For this part, the facilitator can select relevant shadow-based activities from the additional chapter at the end of the Toolbox (e.g. shadow exploration, size experimentation, shape-guessing, or group shadow compositions) to help participants understand the basic principles of shadow formation and develop creativity and group interaction.

3. Session 1: Puppet Creation (60-90 mins):

Choose or create a story together with the participants. This can be a folk tale, a personal experience, or an original story developed by the group. Encourage the design of simple characters with clear, strong silhouettes. Draw the characters on cardboard or black paper and carefully cut them out, offering support where needed. Add movable elements, such as arms or legs, if desired, to make the puppets more expressive. Attach the puppets to sticks or wire handles and test them on the screen, allowing time for adjustments. Add simple details with markers while keeping the focus on maintaining clear, recognisable silhouettes.

Session 2: Story development and rehearsal (60 minutes)

Guide the group in structuring the story by clearly defining the beginning, middle, and end. Practice puppet manipulation, focusing on smooth and coordinated movements. Add narration, dialogue, or music to enrich the performance. Experiment with shadow effects such as layering, changing sizes, and creating entrances and exits. Rehearse scene transitions and assign clear roles within the group, including puppeteers, narrators, and sound effects coordinators. Support the group in identifying and solving technical issues, such as lighting adjustments or tangled puppets.

Session 3: Performance (30–45 minutes)

Set up the screen and lighting to ensure clear and effective shadows. Position the performers behind the screen and the audience in front. Present the shadow theatre performance, applying all the skills practiced during the rehearsal. After the performance, hold a short question-and-answer session to encourage interaction and reflection on the story and creative process.

1. Define the purpose and theme:

Agree on the main theme of the labyrinth (e.g., identity, trust, inclusion, life choices, memory). Choose 1–3 key questions you want participants to carry through the journey.

2. Select the location and map the route:

Choose a non-theatrical space (indoors or outdoors) that can be safely transformed into a fixed route. Map a clear sequence of “meeting points” (stations) and decide the order in which participants will experience them.

3. Design the stations and encounters:

Create short scenes or interactions for each station. Decide what each encounter aims to evoke (emotion, reflection, choice, sensory focus). Keep encounters simple, clear, and consistent with the overall dramaturgy.

4. Plan sensory elements and disorientation tools:

Decide how senses will be filtered (often by limiting vision) and which devices will be used (darkness, blindfolding, sound cues, tactile objects, smell, temperature). Ensure these elements are meaningful and not overwhelming.

5. Create the threshold and waiting area:

Set up a “waiting zone” where participants arrive and detach from everyday reality. Design a strong threshold moment that signals entry into the labyrinth world (e.g., a ritual instruction, a mysterious call, a guided entrance, or a symbolic object).

6. Assign roles and brief the team:

Assign a facilitator to manage timing and participant flow. Assign actors/facilitators to each station and clarify their role, boundaries, and the emotional tone they should hold. Brief the whole team on safety, consent, and how to respond to participant reactions.

7. Prepare scenography, props, sound, and lighting:

Set up each station using minimal but intentional materials. Test lighting and sound levels to ensure a coherent atmosphere and safe movement. Use symbolic objects that invite interpretation rather than explain meaning directly (for example, a rope can represent restriction or connection, a mirror can suggest self-reflection, a chair can become a place of waiting or authority, or a piece of fabric can create a sense of protection or transition).

It can also be helpful to include a few concrete elements to guide the experience. For example, a role can be built through a simple action, a short line, a repeated movement, or a small interaction with the participant.

You can also explore different ways of engaging the senses, such as limiting sight (e.g. using a blindfold) or working with touch, sound, or smell, depending on the atmosphere you want to create.

8. Run a full test walk-through:

Do at least one complete rehearsal with the team. Check timing, transitions, clarity of instructions, and the emotional intensity of each station. Please address any safety concerns, such as obstacles, slippery floors, or unclear directions.

9. Brief audience before entry:

Explain the process in simple terms. Emphasise consent, confidentiality, and the right to pause or stop at any time. Ask about allergies, mobility needs, sensory sensitivities, or anything that could affect safety.

10. Begin the journey (one-by-one entry of the audience):

Send participants (members of the audience) into the labyrinth individually (or in tiny groups), usually every 5–10 minutes. Keep the flow steady so participants do not meet each other inside.

11. Maintain flow and emotional safety during the experience:

The flow facilitator monitors time and spacing. Station actors adapt to each participant while staying within agreed boundaries. Keep one person available as emotional support in case a participant needs to pause or exit.

12. Close the experience and transition out:

Provide a clear ending station or exit ritual that helps participants return to normal reality. Offer water, a quiet space, and time to settle before group discussion.

13. Facilitate debriefing and reflection:

Hold a structured reflection using open questions. Offer different ways to reflect: talking, writing, drawing, and silent reflection. Encourage participants to share only what they feel comfortable with.

14. Collect feedback and document learning:

Gather short written feedback or a quick evaluation round. Document observations from facilitators and actors (what worked, what was challenging, and what should be adjusted next time).

1. Group Setup:

Divide the large group of participants into pairs. Explain that the activity focuses on imagination, sensory exploration, and collaborative storytelling.

2. Part One: Touch and Character Creation–“The Feeler” Activity:

One participant in each pair is blindfolded. This participant is given an object to hold and explore using only their sense of touch. While holding the object, they answer the following questions:

• What do you think it is made of?
• What colour do you think it is?
• If it were a man or a woman, which would it be?
• Give it a name.
• How old is it?
• What does it do? Where does it work?
• What are its passions?
• What does it dislike?
• Think of a phrase that keeps repeating.
• What would it like to achieve?

The second participant, who is not blindfolded, writes down all the answers on a sheet of paper.

3. Part Two: Smell and Setting Creation–“The Smeller”:

After all the questions for the first part are answered, the roles are switched. The second participant is blindfolded and asked to smell different scents or fruits. Based on the smell, they answer the following questions:

• Do you like the smell?
• Have you smelt this before? Where?
• Imagine you are in a place that smells like this. Where are you?
• What does the place look like?
• Who else is there?
• What is happening?
• What are you doing?
• How do you feel?
• What would you like to do?
• Why can’t you do it?

All responses are written down by the partner on a separate sheet of paper.

4. Story Creation and Negotiation:

Once both sets of questions have been answered, the pair is invited to create a shared story using the collected responses. Participants discuss and negotiate which elements they want to include and how the character and setting connect. The goal is to agree on a final version of the story that combines both perspectives.

5. Comic Strip Creation and Presentation:

After the story is finalised, the participants create a comic strip based on their narration. They illustrate key moments of the story, focusing on characters, setting, and emotions. Once completed, each pair presents their comic to the larger group and briefly shares their creative process.

Phase 1 – The Balloon (20–30 minutes)

Welcome participants and briefly explain the arc of the session: play → inquiry → stillness. Emphasise that each phase is voluntary and that participants can step out at any moment.

• Invite participants to stand in an open space. Ask them to close their eyes briefly and imagine they are holding a deflated balloon. They will mime picking it up, blowing it up, and giving it a specific size, colour, and shape.
• Each participant blows up their imaginary balloon and introduces it to a partner or to the group — colour, size, texture, personality. This activates imagination and playfulness.
• Participants now keep their imaginary balloon floating in the air at all times, using any part of their body, while simultaneously completing simple group tasks set by the facilitator: introduce yourself to three people; find a common interest with someone; move across the room together. The constraint of keeping the balloon afloat adds playfulness and reveals how the mind manages competing demands.

Phase 2 – The Three Questions (45–60 minutes)

Introduce the three guiding questions on a board or flipchart:

• What do you really want?
• What stops you from having it?
• What can you do about it?

Explain that these questions come from Transactional Analysis and are used as a practical tool to support reflection and personal agency. They are not a form of therapy — participants are the experts in their own answers.

Participants should keep their imaginary balloon floating in the air at all times during the exercise.

Then, participants form pairs. They take turns asking and answering each question, one by one. The person asking the question should repeat it several times before switching roles, to allow their partner to go deeper and respond more honestly.

Phase 3 – Meditation (15–20 minutes)

Invite participants to sit or lie down comfortably. Dim the lights if possible. Offer the meditation slowly, with long pauses between sentences. Below is a suggested script facilitators can adapt:

“ Find a comfortable position, either sitting or standing, and gently close your eyes or soften your gaze. Take a slow breath in… and out, bringing your attention to your body and noticing how you feel in this moment, without trying to change anything. Now, imagine the balloon you were holding during the activity — its color, its shape, the way it was moving. Notice how it felt to keep it in the air, the effort, the attention, maybe even the distraction. Slowly, allow the balloon to come closer to you, and gently let it rest — you don’t need to keep it floating anymore. Take a breath. Now imagine that you are letting the balloon go, watching it drift away, higher and higher, until it disappears. Bring your attention back to your breath, to your body, and to the space around you. Gently ask yourself: What do you really want? There is no need to find a perfect answer — just notice what comes. Take one more deep breath in… and slowly exhale. When you’re ready, gently open your eyes.”

1. Introduction (10 min): Explain the structure of the circle: the outer edge represents birth, the centre represents where we are now. Invite participants to think of their lives as a journey and to represent key moments, turning points, and experiences using natural materials — not words. Stress that there is no right or wrong way to do this.
2. Creating the journey (25–35 min): Participants mark with natural materials their journey on their section of the circle. Encourage them to work in silence and use the materials to represent events, emotions, and transitions. Facilitators circulate quietly and offer encouragement without directing content.
3. Sharing your path (15–20 min): Each participant traces their path from the outer edge to the centre, briefly narrating what each symbol means to them. Sharing is voluntary — participants may share as much or as little as they wish.
4. Witnessing others (10 min): Participants walk slowly around the full circle, observing each other’s journeys in silence. Encourage them to approach this as a moment of witness and respect.
5. Group reflection (10 min): Bring the group together for a brief discussion about what they noticed, what surprised them, and what they would like to take away.

1. Preparation and consent (10 min): Establish a clear, safe container for the exercise. Explain the process step by step. Emphasise voluntary participation — participants may choose to observe or stop at any time without explanation. Obtain explicit verbal consent from anyone who will work in the centre.
2. Body scan and mapping (15 min): Invite participants to close their eyes and conduct a slow scan from head to feet, noticing areas of tension, heaviness, numbness, or discomfort. Each area is given a shape, colour, texture, and a short name. Participants may work with one or two areas at most.
3. Voicing the wound (15 min): The participant who has volunteered to work shares the story of their area — not an explanation, but the felt sense: where does it come from? What has it carried? What has it protected? The group listens in silence.
4. Finding the gold (15 min): The facilitator gently invites the participant to explore: what strength, wisdom, or resource has this wound also created? What has it taught you? What has it made possible? This is not forced optimism — it is a careful, honest inquiry.
5. Group witnessing and release (10 min): The group briefly offers words of witness — not advice, but acknowledgement. The participant then symbolically releases the shape: lets it dissolve, float away, or transform. A brief grounding moment closes the exercise.
6. Integration and closure (10 min): Offer quiet individual reflection time. Close the session with a grounding activity (e.g. breathing, gentle movement, a shared gesture).