Dalston’s Immediate Theatre ask – what’s your story?

Snap happy: learning how to use film equipment with What’s Your Story? Photograph: Immediate Theatre

A new programme is underway that aims to use creativity to help people gain experience and get back into employment. ‘What’s Your Story?’, the brainchild of Immediate Theatre’s Jo Carter, aims to provide transferable skills that will help participants apply for jobs in their chosen field of work.

The course, run over three weeks, will culminate in a series of short documentaries produced in groups, on a subject of their choosing. The goal is not only to develop practical or technical abilities (training provided will cover how to use film equipment and how to edit video) but to also provide a chance to develop communication skills, and to work on interview technique and workshop CVs.

The participants were found through a system of referrals by the local Job Centre. Jonies Henry, who had been on the the Stamford Hill estate tenants’ committee in 1998 when Immediate Theatre ran their first ever youth theatre, is now a participant in the programme. She spoke about why projects such as this are necessary, and her feelings towards the current benefits system: “It’s soul destroying, for me. You just feel like you are another number joining a list, you know? Is there any real hope out there? You keep trying, though. It just feels as though all roads you try lead you back there [the Job Centre].”

The course aims to help break a cycle of applying for work with no opportunities for development by offering a chance to build new skills and identity personal strengths. Speaking to participants, it is clear that this sort of opportunity is relatively rare. Chantelle Hunt spoke about how infrequently help is offered to adults who are not currently in employment: “With the Job Centre they just say ‘Right, here is what you have got to go on, write down what you apply for and report it’, they don’t actually give you any help.

“I didn’t have any experience, I was never told how to go on the internet and find jobs so for them to just say ‘Off you go’ isn’t much help. Things like this are much better. It’s confidence building.”

Another participant in the programme Thomas Williamson, a writer who’s film ‘Who am I?’ won critical acclaim in 2013 said that for him, the project was more about gaining direct experience in the media industry: “I’ve done a bit of acting, but, I really want to work behind a camera for a while. Get some experience in that, and that will help me go on and make my own work.”

The course hopes to ensure that each person involved leaves feeling they have a new found confidence in their own abilities. After the programme, Immediate Theatre will continue to provide support for the participants to ensure they gain the support they need to find work.

The final films will be available on the Immediate Theatre website at the end of the course.