The Stagecoach Charitable Trust provides disadvantaged children and young people with real opportunities to develop valuable skills for life through drama, movement and music workshops, in one place at one time, after school and during school holidays.

SCT is a nationwide Charity (Registered Charity number 1081561) with workshops across the UK. It has a strong relationship with Stagecoach Theatre Arts, the world’s largest part-time theatre school network.

SCT is very aware of how confidence and self-esteem are gained through performance. It also knows that it is a hugely beneficial activity for children and young people with every kind of need. InterAct is the leading project of SCT. InterAct runs “inclusive” workshops for disadvantaged children and young people, and is unique in being the only national inclusive performance network in the UK.

OUR OBJECTIVES:
A significant number of children and young people in the UK aged between 9 to 19 years old would benefit from workshops in the performing arts but do not take part because:

• Their parents would be unable to afford the fees;
• They feel the group would not cater for their special needs;
• They have special needs and are concerned about being different from the majority of the group.

The Stagecoach Charitable Trust aims to address each of these problems and bring training and performance opportunities to disadvantaged children and young people throughout the UK, for a heavily discounted charge.

OUR ACTIVITIES

The Charity’s aim is to include as many children as it can in performing arts activities, enabling them to gain confidence, build self-esteem and communication skills. It uses the model which Stagecoach has so successfully developed, but concentrates on enabling children and young people who, for a variety of reasons, do not take part in a mainstream performing arts workshop. InterAct workshops are about inclusivity and feature:

• Up to 30 children and young people in a workshop. Activities take place in one large space involving the whole group
• Children and young people from both mainstream and special needs backgrounds
• 10 sessions per term
• Low fee-paying workshops
• Activities are split three ways between drama, movement and music, up to two and a half hours per session
• Three specialist teachers are supported by three qualified teaching assistants.

So if you know of any young people between the ages of 9 and 19 who would be interested in joining us, please contact us on 01932 254333 or click here

Syllabus
All our schools in the InterAct network work under the same theme each term (for instance the Senses). The content of each school's syllabus is planned by the teachers at that school, with specific reference to improvisation and the contribution of ideas from the group. Devised shows are then presented to family and friends at the end of term.

The elements of drama, movement and music are taught in the same rooms involving each of the teaching specialists, not only their own speciality, but in the others as well. Present and active in the room will be helpers and a nurse.

Resources
Several resources are used to reflect the wide and varied nature of elements of performing arts that the teachers can tap into for inspiration.

As well as:

• Drama
• Movement
• Music

The teachers with the students explore associated elements such as

• Percussive and home made instruments
• Artwork for shows and demonstrations
• Mask work
• Props and costumes
• Invited speakers, experts in their field. Recently we have been inspired by:
  Peter Hull – paralympian
  Sally Heath classical pianist
  Performance Poet
  Banjo Band
  Zumba dancer Eleni Tsielpsis
  

Musical instruments are used widely amongst the schools. These aid stimulation and responses from some of the students, as well as inspiring new ideas for creativity.