Royal & Derngate hold teachers, parents and practitioners conference in advance of ground-breaking new theatre production Top Gs Like Me
Royal & Derngate’s Creative Engagement team are presenting a two-day conference from Saturday 17 to Sunday 18 January, for teachers, parents and practitioners to explore the themes raised by the theatre’s forthcoming production, Top Gs Like Me.
Staged as part of Royal & Derngate’s Made in Northampton season Top Gs Like Me is a brand new play by local playwright Samson Hawkins (author of Stratford East’s critically acclaimed Village Idiot) and will be directed by the theatre’s Artistic Director Jesse Jones. The production asks big questions of the online space and how it influences young minds, and will see the Derngate auditorium transformed into a replica skatepark.
Inspired by the production, the weekend long conference at Royal & Derngate offers a series of continuous professional development (CPD) accredited workshops and impactful talks aimed at providing teachers, youth leaders and parents the tools to advise and guide children and young people through the common challenges and risks presented by our increasingly digitalised lives.
Day One will include sessions on online safety with South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) aiming to equip participants with the knowledge and tools to navigate difficult conversations with young people around significant digital challenges including ‘Incel Culture’ and online radicalisation, and Healthy Masculinity with Beyond Equality, CPD-certified training exploring masculine stereotypes and their impact on students.
This will be followed by an insightful evening lecture on extremist online misogyny with award-winning writer and activist Laura Bates (author of Men Who Hate Women and The New Age of Sexism).
Day Two will include comprehensive CPD-certified Safeguarding Training with Smart Horizons Child Protection and a workshop exploring reframing masculinity with researcher, educator and activist Nathaniel Cole, guiding participants to reflect on and dissect the rigid rules of masculinity. This will be followed by an evening presentation by Smartphone Free Childhood, exploring the negative impact of smartphones and social media on children and young people’s development.
Places on the Top Gs Like Me Teachers, Parents and Practitioners Conference on 17 and 18 January, are £200 per person for the two days, with an Early Bird offer of £150 per person if booked by Novembe 28r.
Delegates also receive a complimentary ticket to see Top Gs Like Me. Places can be booked on online at www.royalandderngate.co.uk/top-gs-like-me-teachers-parents-and-practitioners-conference or by calling Box Office on 01604 624811. The conference is supported with funding from the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
The play Top Gs Like Me will be staged in Derngate auditorium from Saturday 21 February to Saturday 7 March. A full programme of schools workshops and talks are available.