Humour is Serious Business

The programme will provide space and time for participants to examine a multitude of issues, concerns and questions related to the use of Humour in an effort to increase their skills, knowledge and experience of Humour as an effective method of engaging young people. Participants will come away from the training much better informed and ‘upskilled’ with a clear direction of how they can use humour in their work setting and with a clear plan for developing a locally-based project which will be documented to further inform the discussion regarding Humour as a mechanism which can be used in effectively engaging young people. The overriding theme of the training is the use of Humour (as a pro-active methodology) in youth work practice. By providing space and time to examine humour, participants can develop a better understandIng of its use and application and in doing so increase their capacity to use it in their work setting so as to engage young people and other youth work communities in a constructive fashion, e.g., a ‘mulitplier’ capacity. Participants selected to take part will (as part of their commitment) be tasked with carrying out ‘research’ into humour before attending the programme. This not only provides them with information but helps to equip them for participation and gives them a sense of ownership but makes them accountable and responsible for their own learning. Practitioners on their return will also present their learning to their colleagues and in following up with their action points (agreed at the training) will raise the profile of the Humour methodology in order to recruit young people to take part in their local activities. Approximately two months after the training programme is completed, information will be collated on each of the local activities completed.