Challenge
Blackpool and Fylde College serves over 10,000 students across three campuses. To address key issues affecting their students, the college enlisted the help of 2engage to create and deliver a performance covering topics such as extremism, the Prevent agenda, and the dangers of “one-punch” assaults.
Project
To address this challenge, 2engage developed and delivered a verbatim theatre production ‘Love and Hate’ focusing on violence and the Prevent agenda. The production was performed to FE students of varied learning levels and programmes of study.
Aims
- To illustrate how young individuals, regardless of their background, can become radicalised.
- To raise awareness about right-wing extremism on social media, emphasising the importance of critical thinking and scepticism regarding the information consumed online.
- To educate individuals about the role and services provided by the Prevent Team in addressing radicalisation and supporting those at risk.
Outcomes
- More than 25 sessions were delivered across two campuses.
- A specially adapted version was created for Access students and ESOL learners.
- A 55-minute live theatre performance was accompanied by pre- and post-show multimedia film presentations.
You can find out more about this project here: Piasecka, S. (2019). Performing PREVENT: anti-extremist theatre-in-education in the service of UK counter-terrorism, a Freirean analysis. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 12(4), 715–734. https://doi.org/10.1080/17539153.2019.1615660
