This is a text-only version of an article first published on Thursday, 23 May 2019. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
A YOUTH work organisation with a difference is offering children and teenagers in Wokingham the opportunity to reflect on issues that affect them. Soulscape offers theatre work, discussion groups and prayer-space style areas for children and young people in schools and churches in the town.
So far their work has been so widely recognised it has been nominated as the Mayor of Wokingham's Charity for 2016.
A scene from the Soulscape play Object
A scene from a Soulscape prayer space
A young person reflects at a Soulscape prayerspace
Relationships
Soulscape's work around relationships, sex and pornography is inspired by headlines that have highlighted how these areas can be problems for young people.A BBC Online article from June 2016 stated: "We found that children and young people need safe spaces where they can freely discuss the full range of issues related to sex, relationships and the accessibility of online porn. "Over 18 months Soulscape worked with the Forest School on 'Object' - a piece of drama helping young people explore issues around pornographyAnna Adams, from Soulscape, explained that this work began with a workshop and a pilot performance of 'Object'.
She said: "Many Theatre in Education companies take theatre to schools because a performance sows the seed, it can start conversations, it can illustrate a need or concern, it can highlight problems.
A performance can allow an audience member to empathise, relate to, understand and question.
A performance can shock, humour and enlighten.
It can bore, alienate and close off people.
It can embarrass people or spur people to take action. "Anna says the following workshops helped boys to think for themselves about the problems porn may cause and helped them think responsibly about sex.
When asked for feedback about what they enjoyed the boys responses included "Expressing my opinion on things I normally can't," and "It was a trustworthy and safe environment to speak in. "To date more than 1,000 young people and their teachers have seen 'Object'.
A spokesman for the Forest School said: "Our students were fully absorbed and engaged during the Object presentation.
The students would have liked to have continued discussions long after we had to stop - a full endorsement of how many questions needed to be, and were, answered to the boys' satisfaction. "Soulscape also runs REAL, an acronym of relationships, self-esteem, aspiration and lifestyle.
This involves workshops, lessons and theatre presentations, around decision making, sexting, identity and pornography.
Education
Young people are faced with a culture that values success above everything else, steering young people towards exams that supposedly determine their future.So Soulscape provides a stream of work aimed at giving children at secondary school the chance to ask big questions.
They also provide a transition project, Mind the Gap, which sees volunteers lead fun activities and workshops for Year Six primary pupils during July.
In September they return to greet pupils on their first day at secondary school.
Faith
Revive aims to support RE in schools with workshops, lessons and full day events to help young people to explore faith and consider moral issues like abortion and divorce.Soulscape runs Random lunch clubs that develop according to young people's needs and provide follow-up time for them to explore issues raised.
Another faith-based project is PAUSE, which transforms classrooms into multi sensory prayer spaces.