Stage gives youths a cultural experience

Young people from across Londonderry are learning about each other's cultures on stage, it emerged today.

Young people from across Londonderry are learning about each other's cultures on stage, it emerged today.

A new project to help promote cultural understanding among teenagers has now begun.

The cultural diversity project, entitled Life Skill through the Medium of Drama, will bring together 22 teenagers from right across the greater Shantallow area and beyond, participating in a 10 week course which has been specifically designed to encourage cultural awareness and mutual understanding using the medium of drama.

Managing director of the Greater Shantallow Community Arts, Ollie Green, said: "The stage forum will be used as a way of raising the individual participant's own self esteem and skills at expressing and articulating their own self worth, and an appreciation of other cultures and traditions.

"Using a variety of multi-media and team building exercises, the courses offer the opportunity for each participant to obtain a variety of new skills and training that will assist their own personal development whilst have a fun and enjoyable learning experience."

Mr Green added: "We are delighted with the great interest shown in this particular programme, already we have had some 22 teenagers aged between 15 years and 18 years enrolled and from the feedback from the course tutors, they appear to be having a excellent experience.

"Once again it shows clearly that given the opportunity, youngsters from the greater Shantallow area and right across the city will get involved in positive learning programmes that offer them the chance to develop new skills.

"I would like to thank our Local Strategy Partnership for their support.

"The continued support from organisations like the LSP is vital to a community organisation like ours if we are going to address the real needs of young people from an area such as greater Shantallow."