Applied Drama and Mental Health in North Belfast

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This proposal aims to build on a pilot project led by freelance applied drama facilitator, Jason Hines, with the guidance and advice of David Grant, Lecturer in Drama at Queen's University Belfast, through which a Men's Group associated with the Lighthouse organisation in North Belfast developed a short performance to highlight the importance of mental health issue for them and their peers. The Lighthouse is a voluntary organisation based at an 'interface' area (on the boundary of a Catholic and a Protestant area) which provides support for people affected by suicide. Studies show that suicide is prevalent in the area, especially among middle-aged males (e.g. Tomlinson, M. (2012) 'War, Peace and Suicide: The Case of Northern Ireland', International Sociology ) amid the continuing social and political tensions associated with the protracted Peace Process. Jason has worked in a voluntary capacity with the Lighthouse since the suicide a school friend several years ago, and was invited by them to introduce some drama-based interventions with one of their user-groups. The success of the pilot has encouraged them to develop this work, but the expansion of the work requires greater input from David Grant and funding to sustain Jason's work on a professional basis for a six month period.There is a long history of community-based drama projects in Belfast, but the use of interactive applied drama techniques is less well developed (Grant, D. 'Ripples in the Pond: Community drama and the development of interactive theatre in Northern Ireland' (2006) in Michael Balfour (ed.) Drama as Social Intervention). The Lighthouse are well established in the city as a vital resource for people in extreme need, but they welcome the opportunity to extend their range of working methods to include drama. The proposal therefore aims to connect this need with relevant expertise at Queen's University.