Forum Theatre for Adult Inclusion and Community Engagement

Using Participatory Theatre to Promote Social Inclusion, Dialogue and Active Citizenship in Adult Education

Course Overview

Social inclusion begins when people have opportunities to express their experiences, participate in decisions and explore solutions to the challenges affecting their lives.

However, adults facing social exclusion, discrimination, economic disadvantage, disability, language barriers or limited educational opportunities may find it difficult to make their voices heard.

Traditional educational approaches do not always create the conditions needed for meaningful participation, particularly when learners have different communication styles, confidence levels and life experiences.

Forum Theatre for Adult Inclusion and Community Engagement is a practical Erasmus+ training course designed to equip adult educators, trainers and community facilitators with participatory theatre techniques that encourage dialogue, critical reflection, cooperation and social inclusion.

The programme introduces Forum Theatre, a method developed by Brazilian theatre practitioner Augusto Boal as part of the Theatre of the Oppressed.

Forum Theatre transforms spectators into active participants, known as “spect-actors”, who can intervene in theatrical situations, propose alternative actions and explore possible responses to social challenges.

Through theatre games, improvisation, role-playing, collaborative storytelling and facilitated discussions, participants will discover how theatrical techniques can help adults explore experiences of exclusion, unequal opportunities, communication difficulties and community conflict.

The course focuses on making Forum Theatre accessible to adults with different educational backgrounds, abilities and levels of previous theatrical experience.

Special attention is given to the facilitator’s role in establishing an inclusive environment, managing group dynamics and encouraging respectful participation without pressuring learners to disclose personal experiences.

Participants will also explore how participatory theatre can support intercultural dialogue, community cooperation and active citizenship.

By the end of the course, participants will have designed and tested an inclusive Forum Theatre workshop and developed an implementation plan for their organisations or local communities.

Target Audience

This course is particularly suitable for:

Adult educators, trainers and lifelong learning facilitators.
Staff of NGOs, community centres and adult education organisations.
Social educators and community facilitators working with disadvantaged adults.
Professionals supporting migrants, refugees, senior learners or adults experiencing social isolation.
Educators involved in disability inclusion and intercultural learning.
Professionals promoting active citizenship, equality and community participation.
Erasmus+ project coordinators seeking innovative non-formal educational methods.
Trainers interested in creative expression, participatory theatre and dialogue-based learning.

No previous theatre or acting experience is required.

Learning Objectives

The course aims to:

Develop participants’ understanding of Forum Theatre and its application in inclusive adult education.
Explore the principles of the Theatre of the Oppressed and the role of participatory theatre in social reflection.
Strengthen facilitation skills through theatre games, improvisation and collaborative storytelling.
Identify barriers to social inclusion and transform relevant community challenges into educational theatre scenarios.
Develop strategies for encouraging adults with different abilities, cultural backgrounds and educational experiences to participate actively.
Practise facilitating dialogue, managing group dynamics and supporting respectful interaction.
Introduce techniques for involving audiences as active participants in exploring alternative responses to challenging situations.
Design accessible Forum Theatre workshops that encourage critical thinking, empathy, cooperation and community engagement.
Develop practical approaches for evaluating participation and transferring Forum Theatre methods to local adult education activities.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Explain the main principles of Forum Theatre and its relevance to non-formal adult education.
Distinguish Forum Theatre from conventional theatre and ordinary role-playing.
Facilitate introductory theatre games that encourage confidence, cooperation and participation.
Identify community challenges suitable for exploration through participatory theatre.
Develop short theatrical scenarios involving social exclusion, discrimination or barriers to participation.
Apply improvisation techniques to explore alternative decisions and responses.
Facilitate audience interventions using the principles of Forum Theatre.
Perform the role of the Joker, the facilitator who supports dialogue and reflection.
Adapt theatre activities to participants with different communication styles, mobility needs and levels of confidence.
Create inclusive spaces in which participants can explore social challenges without being required to disclose personal experiences.
Design a Forum Theatre workshop and develop an action plan for implementation in an adult education organisation.

Methodology

The course follows an experiential, creative and participatory methodology based on non-formal education.

Participants learn through direct engagement in theatre exercises, simulations, facilitated discussions and collaborative design activities.

Training methods include:

Theatre of the Oppressed techniques.
Forum Theatre and spect-actor interventions.
Icebreakers and cooperative theatre games.
Image Theatre and non-verbal expression.
Improvisation and role-playing.
Collaborative storytelling and scenario development.
Participatory dialogue and group reflection.
Intercultural learning activities.
Community problem analysis.
Peer learning and constructive feedback.
Micro-facilitation and workshop design.

The activities prioritise participation and reflection rather than acting performance.

Participants may contribute through speaking, observation, scenario design, movement, discussion or other accessible forms of engagement.

The course uses fictional or fictionalised scenarios to avoid unnecessary personal disclosure and supports voluntary participation throughout the learning process.

Daily Programme

Day 1: Introduction to Forum Theatre and Inclusive Adult Education

Focus: Understanding participatory theatre and creating a supportive learning environment.

Welcome activities, introductions and identification of learning expectations.
Establishing group agreements based on respect, choice and inclusive participation.
Exploring social inclusion and barriers affecting disadvantaged adult learners.
Introduction to Augusto Boal and the Theatre of the Oppressed.
Understanding Forum Theatre as a participatory method for exploring social challenges.
Exploring the concepts of spectators, spect-actors, protagonists and the Joker.
Experiential theatre games to develop group trust, cooperation and communication.
Introduction to Image Theatre: representing ideas and social situations through physical or alternative visual expression.
Group workshop: identifying community challenges that could be explored through Forum Theatre.
Reflection and daily evaluation.

Practical outcome: A community inclusion challenges map and a collection of introductory participatory theatre exercises.

Day 2: Storytelling, Improvisation and Exploring Social Challenges

Focus: Transforming community experiences into educational theatre scenarios.

Exploring storytelling as a method for understanding different perspectives.
Identifying common situations of exclusion, inequality and communication barriers in adult learning environments.
Introduction to improvisation techniques for non-professional participants.
Cooperative activities supporting creativity, active listening and group interaction.
Experiential exercise: “A Story from Different Perspectives”, exploring how individuals may interpret the same situation differently.
Workshop: developing fictional characters and realistic community scenarios.
Exploring power relationships, barriers and decision-making within a theatrical situation.
Practising short scenes involving social isolation, discrimination, limited access to education or unequal participation.
Adapting storytelling and improvisation activities for adults with different communication and accessibility needs.
Peer feedback and daily reflection.

Practical outcome: A short Forum Theatre scenario based on a selected community inclusion challenge.

Day 3: Spect-Actors, Participation and Facilitating Forum Theatre

Focus: Learning how to facilitate interactive performances and encourage audience participation.

Understanding the structure of a Forum Theatre session.
Exploring the role and responsibilities of the Joker.
Practising facilitation techniques that encourage participation without imposing solutions.
Understanding how spect-actors intervene and propose alternative courses of action.
Demonstration of a short Forum Theatre scene followed by facilitated audience interventions.
Practical workshop: “Stop, Change, Act!”, testing different responses to a challenging theatrical situation.
Developing open-ended questions that encourage reflection and critical thinking.
Practising neutral facilitation and constructive management of disagreements.
Exploring alternative forms of intervention for participants who prefer not to perform.
Group reflection on power dynamics, accessibility and respectful dialogue.
Peer evaluation of facilitation techniques.

Practical outcome: A practical Joker facilitation guide and a set of questions for supporting audience participation.

Day 4: Forum Theatre for Inclusion and Community Dialogue

Focus: Applying participatory theatre to diverse adult learning and community contexts.

Exploring how Forum Theatre can support intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding.
Identifying barriers faced by adults with fewer opportunities in community participation.
Understanding how language, disability, social status and educational background can influence engagement.
Adapting theatre games and scenarios to different abilities and communication preferences.
Role-play: facilitating a group with different opinions, confidence levels and participation needs.
Workshop: using Forum Theatre to explore situations involving exclusion, unequal access to services or community misunderstandings.
Practising ways to respond when discussions become emotionally sensitive or confrontational.
Developing accessible participation options and ensuring voluntary engagement.
Collaborative challenge: designing an inclusive Forum Theatre activity for a selected adult learner group.
Group presentations, reflection and feedback.

Practical outcome: An inclusive Forum Theatre workshop outline with accessibility adaptations and a facilitation plan.

Day 5: Designing and Implementing Community Forum Theatre Workshops

Focus: Developing practical educational activities and planning community engagement.

Reviewing the main techniques and learning outcomes explored during the course.
Identifying opportunities to integrate Forum Theatre into adult education and community programmes.
Planning a participatory workshop with clear objectives, target groups and expected learning outcomes.
Developing a suitable fictional scenario and defining the role of facilitators and participants.
Designing audience participation strategies and accessible alternatives.
Group activity: facilitating short Forum Theatre sessions and testing spect-actor interventions.
Peer feedback on facilitation, inclusiveness and the relevance of the selected scenarios.
Developing simple indicators for evaluating participation, reflection and community engagement.
Exploring opportunities for cooperation with local organisations and community stakeholders.
Preparing individual implementation and dissemination plans.
Final reflection, evaluation and sharing of learning outcomes.

Practical outcome: A ready-to-adapt Forum Theatre workshop, a facilitation toolkit and an individual community implementation plan.

Practical Results and Transfer to Organisations

Throughout the course, participants will develop a portfolio of practical educational resources that can be used in adult education and community engagement programmes.

The portfolio may include:

A community inclusion challenges map.
A collection of participatory theatre games.
A short Forum Theatre scenario.
A Joker facilitation guide.
A set of reflective questions for audience interventions.
An accessibility and inclusion checklist.
An inclusive Forum Theatre workshop plan.
A community engagement and dissemination strategy.
An individual implementation and evaluation plan.

Participants will be encouraged to adapt these resources to their organisational contexts and facilitate at least one participatory theatre activity with adult learners.

The developed methods can be used in adult education centres, NGOs, community programmes, intercultural initiatives and social inclusion activities.

European Dimension and Erasmus+ Priorities

Inclusion and Diversity

The course directly addresses inclusion and diversity by introducing participatory methods that can increase engagement among adults facing educational, social, cultural or economic barriers.

Forum Theatre encourages participants to explore situations of exclusion, recognise different perspectives and consider alternative responses.

Special attention is given to making activities accessible and providing meaningful opportunities for participation without requiring previous theatrical experience.

Participation in Democratic Life

Forum Theatre can create opportunities for adults to express opinions, examine social challenges and contribute to discussions about possible solutions.

By allowing participants to intervene in fictional situations and reflect on the consequences of different actions, the method encourages critical thinking, dialogue, cooperation and active participation.

The course supports the development of social and civic competences relevant to community engagement.

Digital Transformation

Digital tools may be used to support workshop preparation, collaborative storytelling and dissemination.

Participants will explore how simple digital resources can complement participatory theatre while maintaining accessible, technology-free alternatives.

Environment and Sustainability

Where relevant to local community needs, Forum Theatre scenarios can address environmental challenges, unequal access to resources or community decisions related to sustainability.

The course encourages the use of accessible and reusable materials for educational activities.

European Cooperation

The international learning environment provides opportunities to exchange experiences, explore diverse perspectives on social inclusion and develop educational activities that can be adapted to different European communities.

Participants will be encouraged to share their Forum Theatre resources and identify opportunities for future collaboration.

Evaluation and Follow-Up

Evaluation is integrated throughout the course and focuses on practical competence development, inclusive facilitation and educational transfer.

Methods include:

Initial self-assessment of participants’ learning needs and experience.
Daily reflection and structured feedback.
Observation of participation in theatre games and collaborative exercises.
Peer assessment during improvisation and facilitation activities.
Evaluation of the final Forum Theatre workshop.
Individual action planning for implementation and dissemination.

Participants will be encouraged to assess the educational outcomes of their workshops through indicators such as:

Number of adult learners participating in activities.
Diversity of participation methods offered and used.
Learners’ self-reported confidence in expressing opinions.
Number and variety of alternative responses explored during Forum Theatre sessions.
Quality of dialogue and cooperation, assessed through observation and participant feedback.
Accessibility and relevance of the activities for the target group.
Number of workshops or community engagement activities implemented.

Evaluation focuses on learning, participation and facilitation rather than theatrical performance or clinical outcomes.

Why Choose This Course?

Many adults have valuable experiences and perspectives but limited opportunities to participate actively in discussions about issues affecting their communities.

Forum Theatre creates an educational space in which different viewpoints can be explored through action, dialogue and reflection.

This course provides adult educators with practical techniques for encouraging participation, developing communication skills and facilitating constructive discussions about challenging social situations.

Participants will discover how theatre-based methods can be implemented without professional acting experience or expensive equipment.

By combining creative expression, non-formal education and participatory facilitation, the course supports inclusive learning environments in which adults can practise exploring choices and contributing to collective discussions.

Transform spectators into participants. Use Forum Theatre to encourage inclusion, meaningful dialogue and active community engagement.