Step Into Their Shoes
Step Into Their Shoes is an immersive resource pack which was used to spark debate through performance, 360 film and art with professionals who work in the care system. This project ran from 2018 - 2020. We are currently working on a new resource pack and workshop to run alongside our new 360 films
The first young person-centred resource was designed and developed by Curious Monkey alongside groups of young people in the care system, their care-givers and care professionals. The package is a stimulus for deeper discussion around understanding a young person’s perspective of their care journey, how they feel it needs to change and gain a unique opportunity to step into their shoes.
The resource was made up of three elements:
Leaving
30 minute extracts from the award-winning play. Using the young people’s own words, an ensemble cast and an award winning creative team test the boundaries of verbatim theatre to bring real voices to the stage. Leaving gives a voice to those working within the care system from staff in children’s homes to decision makers. The extracts performance will create an immediate, immersive experience that will change the way you think about young people in care.
Leaving 360 Film
A 13-minute immersive experience of leaving care told through the eyes of a young person through VR headsets. You can read more about the development and production of Leaving360 here.
Panel Discussions
Curious Monkey’s Artistic Director, Amy Golding (director of Leaving), the cast of Leaving and potentially some young people from Troupe (our group for young people with experience of the care system) can take part in a panel discussion or Q&A session after the show.
Kirsten Hogg, Head of Policy, Barnardos
“Curious Monkey performed extracts from Leaving at an event we held to bring young people, carers, practitioners and decision makers together to discuss issues facing young people leaving care. Having the play as the first thing delegates saw on the day made this event different to any other event different to any other event like this I have been involved with. People had an emotional response to the play, which allowed them to open up and to think about issues in a very human rather than a procedural or siloed way, as is sometimes the case. The event inspired me to think about the power of the arts in freeing people to work differently together, and we will be seeking further opportunities to incorporate this approach into our influencing work.”