Category: Interventions

Conducted by Carolina Rodriguez Baptista and Herb Singe

My first intervention was conducted on Thursday May 4th at London College of Communications. It was an hour long workshop with 6 students from UAL.

Obective of the Intervention was to test if improv games and artistic games caused an effect on students. Changed their moods, helped them resolve a challenge they had. Our goal was to establish: TRUST, CONNECTION, LOOK AT THINGS FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. Did the activities help you resolve issues and use the creativity muscle?

STEP 1

Students were given a two question survey before the workshop started:

1. Is there a situation that you are trying to improve that you feel stuck with, or that you are having trouble with?
2. Have you attempted to think “outside the box” with this situation?

Answers:

STEP 2

Students played games based on improvisation and in art during the course of an hour. Games were:

1. Throw The Sound: Everyone stands in a circle and the first person makes a noise with a gesture and throws it to someone in the circle. A person receives it, repeats it and sends a different noise to someone else in the group.  Reflect on the tools learned (Ex: Listening, Recognicing, Relating). 
2. Dear John Letter/ Oracle: Write a letter one word at a time as if we were one person, going around the group. It can be written to anyone. Topic: Things that you are angry at. A thing that you wish would change in London (or CSM).  Reflect on the tools learned (Ex: Relating, Trust, New Connections, Empowerment). 
3. Zig Zag Animal: Have a long piece of paper and fold into a zig zag. Have everyone draw a part of a person or animal/ or part of a housebuilding. At the end open paper.  Reflect on the tools learned (Ex: Trust, Building on other’s work, Curiosity). 
4. Discovery through Stains: Have everyone draw a stain on a small piece of paper, once it is dry have people pass paper to person to their left. Have people discover what they see on paper, what they discover. They can use a pencil and draw one line on the paper to make it into an object/animal. Reflect on the tools learned (Ex: Curiosity, Trust). 
5. Reflection: How do you think this game could be used in your daily life? in your current project? What did you learn from this game? What is the learning outcome you feel you achieved from this game?  

STEP 3

After the hour was finished students were asked to fill out second survey.

All participants shared their email and will be surveyed after two weeks. Results will be posted here.

Other findings

After the workshop we also had a reflection conversation where we asked participants to state if a particular game resonated with them and asked how they could use it in their current problem or daily life. All responded that the games made them happy and lighter. The concept of levity was discussed and welcomed. Some wanted to keep their art pieces. We asked wether the improv games were harder to do, if they felt more uncomfortable. . In other circumstances they would have not liked it, but because of the small group they felt at ease.

ONE Month Later Responses

We sent a survey to the 6 participants, 4 responded the survey. Their responses: