Upcoming
Thursday, July 31
AIDS Workshop:
South Africans Coping with the AIDS Pandemic: An Experiential Learning Forum to Unmask Practices of Power and Grapple with the Complexities of Context
Presenter:
Yvonne Sliep, University of Durban-Westville, South Africa
Learning Center
Cambridge Hospital
1493 Cambridge Street
Cambridge
9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
This workshop will showcase an innovative program in South Africa that is addressing issues of behavior change in relation to HIV/AIDS. Recent research has shown that even high levels of knowledge about HIV/AIDS do not necessarily translate into healthy shifts in attitudes, behaviors, and practices. Using theatrical, psychodramatic, and narrative techniques within a health promotion framework, this approach has the flexibility to tailor the content to specific groups at whatever stage of behavior change they are in.
Forum Theater, or theater for the oppressed, was developed by Augusto Boal in Brazil 30 years ago as a means of creating large-scale change. It identifies and addresses practices of power, using a methdology that is participatory, nonjudgmental, and accessible to all ages, levels of education, and cultural beliefs. Being nonprescriptive, it facilitates creativity and builds the self-efficacy of participants.
The strategy is based on a participant-centered process to elicit a drama or human sculpture depicting a disturbing real-life situation. The drama is deconstructed to deepen understanding and then reconstructed to work towards preferred outcomes. Through discussion of recent examples, Sliep will demonstrate how this will be used to further illustrate the method. This way of working provides opportunities to reflect on and resist the effects of problems. The aim is for participants to leave with more vitality, hope, and skills to address complex behavior issues.
Yvonne Sliep is a senior lecturer and coordinator of the masters degree program in health promotion at the School of Psychology, University of Durban-Westville, South Africa.
To register, e-mail Claire Pierre at cpierre@challiance.org. Space is limited.