Gill Dowsett
 Gill is the co-founder, and Director of Theatr Fforwm Cymru.
She is a Teacher/trainer/facilitator of over 30 years’ standing.
Gill taught drama in schools and within social services settings, and set up and coordinated arts projects for the London Borough of Sutton Youth and Community Service.
When Gill moved to Wales in 1989, she set up Fishguard and Goodwick Youth Club, tutored on in-service training for Dyfed Youth Service and, as a “disaffected teacher” set-up Theatr Fforwm Cymru to work with Theatre as Education, with Anna Gifford, in 1993
Gill is an extremely experienced youth worker, trainer, and facilitator who has recently been involved in training Eastern and Western European teachers, youth workers, and psychologists; working with professionals involved in HIV and human trafficking in Ukraine, and developing an Emotional Intelligence work pack.
Gill’s particular passions are emotional intelligence and mindfulness; and, through wide research and writing, combines her role as a “story listener” with the task of driving forwards the direction of Theatr Fforwm Cymru whilst ensuring its continuing integrity and passion.
Gill is mum to 3 adult daughters and a proud new grandmother
Karen Chandler
 Karen is the other full-time member of staff at Theatr Fforwm Cymru, combining an increasing amount of facilitation work with a variety of groups, with administrative and project management duties, from grant applications to working with Theatr Fforwm Cymru’s youth group, Base 64.
Karen has been involved in community arts and youth work for many years, and in a number of roles, including founding and acting as producer to a performing arts group in Fishguard which took a youth-work centred approach to the arts and was highlighted by both the Arts Council of Wales and Voluntary Arts Wales as an example of best practice in youth theatre.
Karen came to Theatr Fforwm Cymru through a circuitous route, via marketing, freelance administrative work, lecturing and training, and voluntary work promoting local artists and children’s literature. She always says “I was given 12 freelance hours to sort the Theatr Fforwm Cymru database, and I just stayed!”
Karen was widowed in 2006; she has two teenage children, a dog, cat and two pet rats, and outside interests which include science fiction, American pop culture and disturbing penchants for extreme bad taste in home furnishings and orange clothing.
Kathy Powell
 Since commencing in January ’06 life has been one big turnaround personally. Working here at Theatr Fforwm Cymru has transformed my working week from an unhappy and relentless one to that of looking forward to each day enthusiastically.
I have been allowed to work on my own initiative and given the trust to run the admin side of the office as I wish, two of the main reasons why I decided to change careers after 26 years, as working for the Bank gave no variety in the working day.
I have, since commencing work here, put many systems in place which I feel, appear to be working well and although there are still many other duties that need to be carried out (ie database system, update website, archive old records etc), for the short time I have worked here, I believe I have achieved as much as I could accomplish given the time allocated.
I feel I have settled in well and thoroughly enjoy working here – Oh what it is to get up in the morning and actually look forward to going into work!!!!
Gina Wood
 Gina has been associated with Theatr Fforwm Cymru from its inception nearly 14 years ago, as a powerful counsellor, sounding board and friend.
At present, Gina fulfils a number of crucial functions for Theatr Fforwm Cymru. She is our counsellor, whose services are available for all staff, volunteers and sessional workers – a vital support when the work we do can restimulate and access powerful emotions and reactions. Gina also provides non-managerial supervision for all staff, volunteers and freelance workers – a safe space to “check in” about how work is going and what we all need to develop further personally and professionally. Gina runs our regular Monday morning circles – a time when we are brave enough to turn the answerphone on, refuse commissions and turn the focus back on to ourselves – with a variety of challenging and involving techniques – and much laughter.
And Gina participates in discussions about the strategic direction of Theatr Fforwm Cymru – her wisdom and integrity appreciated by all.
Gina is mum and step-mum to five grown-up children; a walker, Relate counsellor, gardener, dancer and owner of a wicked sense of humour!
Freelance Workers
As with so many charities, Theatr Fforwm Cymru’s funding situation means that we are loath to take on permanent staff with no guarantee of job security. We have built up a pool of freelance sessional workers, who
- Are fully trained in forum theatre and the specific methodology of Theatr Fforwm Cymru
- Have access to continuous professional development
- Have access to counselling and non managerial supervision
- Have their own specialist expertise over a wide range of community arts disciplines
In this way we have the flexibility to call on the most appropriate worker for the job, and those we work with benefit from a wide range of enthusiasms, expertise and backgrounds
We work with a large number of artists through our BBC Children in Need funded Emotional Intelligence project and a number of other artists currently. For example:
 Deri Steele-Morgan
Forum theatre specialist, youth worker and youth theatre practitioner. Deri has been associated with Theatr Fforwm Cymru from its very inception. Deri works on a regular basis with the Amber Project and is a valued member of our team, bringing particular expertise in working with masks and puppets.
Llew Jones
Rap and beat box artist, youth worker and sports worker. Llew again has worked and volunteered with Theatr Fforwm Cymru for a long time, and is particularly involved with film making, and Theatr Fforwm Cymru’s youth group, Base 64
Volunteers - Back to Top of Page
Theatr Fforwm Cymru has always worked with a core group of volunteers, our “magic ingredient” in terms of energy, role-modelling and engaging forum theatre. Our volunteers travel with us to conferences and workshops, in Wales and beyond. Traditionally, our volunteer core group has consisted primarily of young unwaged people who were looking for a “breathing space” – and many have gone on to further education and careers in people professions. Increasingly now, our volunteer group is multi-generational…..
Volunteer Quotes;
As a volunteer at Theatr Fforwm Cymru, I (of course) think it’s brilliant. I think it really helps kids and teachers raise their emotional awareness. I think it’s also extremely good for the volunteers. I, as a volunteer, have learnt loads of things, sometimes I feel that volunteering with Fforwm helps me more than the kids and teachers. I have learnt how to deal with situations that I otherwise would not have known or even thought about how to deal with.
Working with Fforwm has really raised my confidence and self-worth. It has helped me grows as a person and to be aware of people’s emotions and things that are happening around me.
EMMY O.C. BEIJDORFF
Comment (Young Volunteer in a circle meeting)
“This week I’ve been looking at people I pass in the street. They are all beautiful”
Comment (Older woman’s remark at Age Concern/ThFfC Group Workshop)
“If my husband was here I wouldn’t be able to take part in these dotty games, I’d be too shy and embarrassed”.
Working as a volunteer, especially working with Age Concern Workshops, has confirmed to me the need now for Society to return to wisdom, the wisdom lodged in the elders. The elders need to become again responsible and worthy to hold the wisdom.
They need to get back the courage to stand on their own beautiful identities so that the young will listen to them. But first the elders will quietly listen in silence and in humility to the young.I think the hope and challenge offered by the work of ThFfC in this respect is VITAL in helping to bridge the modern (and false) divide between age and youth.
SHEILA KNAPP-FISHER
EVS volunteers
 Every year Theatr Fforwm Cymru hosts European Volunteers. For six month two young people between the age of 18 and 30 become a part of the team, working alongside the staff. The only thing they have to do is find themselves a sending organisation in their home country, choose one out of thousands of projects in every European and some third countries and send their applications.
Once the volunteers arrive in Wales they don’t have to worry about anything. They stay with local people which gives them security and the chance to get involved with Welsh life. They get well familiarised with their tasks and the work of Theatr Fforwm Cymru. All their costs are covered: they get pocket money and money to cover their costs for food and transport to the office. They also don’t have to pay for travelling to Wales and their insurance during their stay.
 The EVS (European Voluntary Service) which is a European Union-funded initiative gives young people the chance to experience life and work in another country. It can be a possibility to help them with their occupational decision. It supports the development of a sense of solidarity and community as well as people’s understanding for each other. During their stay they learn a lot! It is a fantastic experience! All that makes it an important part of people’s personal development – and is a fantastic opportunity for Theatr Fforwm Cymru as well!
At the end of September 2006 Hannah from Germany (who is writing this) and Ewelina from Poland arrived in Wales to do their EVS with Theatr Fforwm Cymru.
For more information about EVS, click here www.icpwales.org
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