NAYT report to assess and promote youth drama

Published Tuesday 11 March 2008 at 14:40 by Lalayn Baluch

New research looking at the quality of youth drama work across the country has been commissioned by the National Association of Youth Theatres, with a view to establishing a quality framework offering guidance and support to the sector.

The report is being undertaken by chair of drama and theatre education at the University of Warwick Jonothan Neelands.

Speaking at the NAYT’s first annual conference at Darlington Arts Centre, Neelands explained that the project will aim to encourage dialogue and assessment between youth theatre leaders and members. It will also look to identify national schemes of recognition and accreditation, and for appropriate external benchmarks such as that of the Council for Dance Education and Training, to indicate quality of work.

However, following the organisation’s funding cut by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, NAYT chief executive Jill Adamson warned that while the research would continue, she is concerned that they will not be able to put its findings into effect.

She also revealed that issues highlighted by youth theatre practitioners at the conference, such as the need for regional forums, and the call for NAYT to develop its advocacy role and encourage debates, were unlikely to be put into action in the near future because of the lack of cash.

Adamson told The Stage: “We will have a usable piece of research, but whether we will be able to implement the National Quality Framework is questionable.

“When you look at the McMaster report and what it is saying about quality and excellence, and what it is saying about young people, the timing couldn’t be better. But with the cut in the funding we might not be able to implement the findings of it. It could then be out of date [once they are able to use it] and the investment could be lost.”

Meanwhile, Neelands added that when completed the document would be used to promote the case of the sector to funders.