Lessons learnt through a project in which Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre provided activities and support for homeless people are being shared in a new online resource.
A partnership project involving the Royal Exchange Theatre and the Booth Centre, a day centre providing advice, activities and support for homeless people in Manchester, has culminated in the production of an online learning resource, ‘Backstage? Me?’, to demonstrate the power of theatre to affect personal and social change around homelessness. Project leaders are sharing key learning points from an initiative that has provided live theatre, group workshops and individual development for hundreds of people, of whom 80 are known to have moved to more stable accommodation. Twenty who were at risk of losing their homes have been helped to maintain a home; six have moved into paid employment; and 46 have gained a new qualification.
Leaders at both the Royal Exchange Theatre and the Booth Centre have stated that “the project has proved that providing fulfilling, cultural experiences should be as important to avoiding long-term homelessness as other, accepted rehabilitation support services”, noting that “providing accommodation, but providing no other life-affirming purpose in social activities and personal growth, often leads to poorer outcomes”. The Booth Centre has now secured Arts Council England funding to set up its own theatre company, which will be facilitated by Chorlton-based arts centre The Edge.
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