Delivered by Chain Reaction
In 2022, the Foundation for Future London has awarded a grant to Chain Reaction for its project “Chain Reaction Youth Theatre (CRYT)” for people in Newham and Tower Hamlets through our Medium Grant Scheme.
Chain Reaction Youth Theatre (CRYT) is an innovative, youth-led project that uses drama to teach employability skills and raises the confidence of disadvantaged young people in Newham and Tower Hamlets.
The Medium Grant Scheme is part of our Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund, funded by Westfield Stratford City.
The project meets one of our scheme’s key themes, Young People.
Chain Reaction will deliver 18 weekly sessions of Chain Reaction Youth Theatre (CRYT). This free to attend issue-based project will reach a minimum of 25 severely disadvantaged and ‘at risk’ young people aged 11–18 from Tower Hamlets and Newham.
Chain Reaction Youth Theatre (CRYT) will increase participants’ employability and life skills. The project will provide a constructive creative outlet for young people, channel their energy and enthusiasm in a positive way, increase their aspirations, build skills and self-confidence and enable them to see the important role they can play within their community.
Sessions will offer a safe and supportive environment for participants to interact with each other, communicate how they feel about their community and discuss and debate relevant issues, helping them to understand and respect other people’s views and opinions. We will use our creative methods to improve specific employability skills, including speaking and listening, non-verbal communication, self-awareness, posture, and composure.
We will also work with participants to help them set goals, opening their eyes to future possibilities, and signposting them to other organisations/projects which can help them achieve those goals. By engaging in this creative project, participants will gain confidence and self-esteem whilst building the resilience and self-belief required to overcome future challenges.
Our skilled and experienced team of creative practitioners (all of whom are industry professionals) will introduce participants to a whole host of drama techniques. The young people will then work together as a company of actors to devise and produce their own community performance, giving them an opportunity to showcase their abilities and knowledge, feel pride in their achievements, and solidify their learning through teaching others.
CRYT will:
Transforming lives and careers of people in East London
Westfield Stratford City is London’s most popular shopping destination by footfall, located in London’s fastest growing area
