The Gaiety School of Acting and Cork Education & Training Board Launch ‘Breathe’ – A Programme to Promote Positive Mental Health
Monday, September 2nd, 2013 at 3:23 pm | News & Events, Press
The Gaiety School of Acting – The National Theatre School of Ireland (GSA) and the Cork Education and Training Board (CETB) officially launched ‘Breathe’, a programme to promote positive mental health among young people at Smock Alley on the 28th August 2013.
In attendance on the night were Cllr. Noel O’Connor, Mayor of Co. Cork, Ted Owens, CEO of Cork ETB, Michael Moriarty, General Secretary of ETB Ireland, Patrick Sutton, Director of the GSA, Dr Fergus Heffernan, Director of Services at RD Consult and Máiréad Conway from IPB Insurance.
The night saw guests treated to music by Mongoose and, specially commissioned for the launch, a piece of theatre written and performed by Stefanie Preissner, a GSA graduate and creator of Solphadeine is My Boyfriend. Guest also viewed footage from a workshop previously undertaken at the GSA so they could better understand the benefits of the programme.
‘Breathe’ is a professional response to the ever-increasing suicide trend among young people, specifically 15-19 years of age. This programme will focus on changing attitudes and improving links between teachers, parents and teenagers.
This programme will see young people, parents and teachers take part in participative drama based workshops focusing on 5 key words: communication, re-engagement, community, transformation and well-being. In these workshops, skills are taught informally using the creative arts in a non-threatening environment. Each participant’s contribution is welcomed and highly valued, no matter how small it may seem.
Following a successful pilot workshop in Cork and Dublin last March, this new academic year will see 50 secondary schools in Cork, Kildare, Wicklow and Dublin areas taking part in the Breathe programme.
Ted Owens, CEO of Cork ETB said ‘In a country where more young people die by suicide than in road traffic accidents, there has never been a greater need to include suicide and mental health awareness in schools.’
While Patrick Sutton, Director of the GSA stated “More than ever we have a responsibility to connect with young people and encourage positive dialogue about mental health and to that end we have designed (as a part of our education and outreach mandate) Breathe a dynamic, engaging and enjoyable programme in which young people will be encouraged to talk about their feeling through the vehicle of creative drama, visual art and role play.”
For more information, please visit www.justbreathe.ie.