The program develops the social-emotional development of neuro-diverse kids and you’ll learn communication, resilience, creative thinking, collaboration skills all while having massive fun. It’s a low pressure environment and the theatre also has a chill out room with low lighting and comfy seats for kids who want to take a break.
The Connect pedagogy
Studies have shown that improv theatre improves social responsiveness, acknowledgement of the perspective of others, participation, and cooperation among youth with ASD. Connect is designed by Wade Jackson, artistic director and high performance coach. Wade has spent over two decades in the personal development space working with people from a wide range of ages and backgrounds and has designed the Connect program in conjunction with the Indiana University. In all our programs, we use embodied learning and play to embed the learning and make it accessible for children of all ages.
Who is the program for: The program is designed for 13 - 17 year olds who are on the Autism spectrum. Numbers are limited to 12 kids per program.
Time & day: The program runs during the school term at a time that suits the school / organisation.
We run the Connect program for schools who cater to autistic children. The Covert Theatre currently sponsors two schools, Mt Hobson and Mt Richmond.
If you’re a school or organisation that is interested in our Connect program then please contact us.
If you have any queries, please contact us.
Results:
“We arrived for our first session with students in awe of the environment. They were nervous and excited. The improv teacher got us going quickly which settled the student’s (and the staff’s) nerves. Watching everyone grow in confidence and get involved more and more each week was such a joy. We all eagerly tried new things, clearly feeling safe and supported in the environment created by the team. We all learned a lot from each other, the students were brave trying new things and overcame the challenge of a new environment, teacher and course. They used their imaginations and connected with different students and content. The collaboration and on-task behaviour was inspiring. Fun, laughter, developing listening skills and learning to work as part of team were all excellent outcomes from our sessions. We look forward to more learning and laughter.”
Kim Todd, Assistant Principal, Mt Richmond School
“Our sessions at the Covert Theatre were fantastic. All of my students are neurodiverse. They arrived at the theatre reserved and self-conscience. It has been a delight to watch a miracle happen over the course of the term, as students threw off their inhibitions and grew in confidence. Edith’s adaptability and creativity as the teacher of the program has been outstanding. She has provided a safe, inclusive environment for my students. This was achieved by teaching using series of games and activities, that were both age and skill appropriate. Each week they participated in activities that were achievable and yet stretched them outside of their comfortable zones. My students are developing important skills through this programme: team building, creative thinking, resilience, communication and presentation skills. We have been able to bring many of these skills back into our class environment. As a school we are grateful for our Covert Theatre sessions.”
Rachel O’Connor, Teacher, Mt Hobson School
Students from Mt Hobson School with teachers from the Covert Theatre Improv for Autism course
