Theatrical Visit

Description

The aim of the project is to implement actions that will empower vulnerable groups, both at the level of psychological assistance and at the level of education in order to access the labor market, for a difficult sector such at the theater, where young graduates face many difficulties in finding a job. The project goals are:
a) the provision of psychological support to 20 patients with chronic diseases at the University Hospital of Heraklion. The actors of the organisation will "visit" the patients in the hospital in order to present a short play.
b) social theater training seminars -  90 new students from drama schools (graduates or students) will be selected in order to attend a training seminar on acting techniques and on the social theater approach. The action will be implemented by two actors of the organisation, as well as associate professors of the National Theater, who will help on a voluntary basis. The action will be implemented in 3 phases with groups of 30 participants.
c) the participation in educational activities (workshops), that will last one month, of people who were former cancer patients or their relatives, with the aim of a)participating in the team that will communicate the actions of the project in more hospitals and institutions in Greece and b) undertaking advocacy actions. The organisation aims to hire the former patients in the field of communication and promotion of actions.     

Summary of project results

The project aimed to address the following issues and challenges:

1. Emotional and Psychological Vulnerability:
   Patients undergoing prolonged hospitalization, particularly after serious accidents, strokes, or sudden oncology cases, often experience fragile psychological and emotional states due to the long and demanding recovery process.

2. Social and Emotional Isolation:
   Long-term hospitalization and rehabilitation can lead to a sense of isolation, which exacerbates emotional and mental challenges.

3. Lack of Access to Theatrical Art and Cultural Enrichment:
   Many patients, especially those in rural areas or of lower educational and socioeconomic backgrounds, have little to no exposure to theatrical art due to financial or logistical barriers.

4. Need for Personal Empowerment:
   Patients often require emotional reinforcement, such as hope, faith, love, and companionship, to cope with their medical conditions and adapt to life changes brought on by illness or disability.

5. Limited Resources in Rural Areas:
   Reaching patients in remote regions of Greece with limited access to cultural or psychological support services posed a significant challenge.

The project used theatrical performances to provide psychological, emotional, and social empowerment, bridging gaps in access and offering unique, meaningful experiences to patients.

The first and primary goal involved the performances involving 20 patients in the Oncology Clinic of PAGNI (University General Hospital of Heraklion, Crete).

Unfortunately, after March 2020 and the onset of the Covid pandemic, everything was radically disrupted. The work of the "Theatrical Visitation" project came to an abrupt and indefinite halt, as physical access to the country''s hospitals—our primary area of activity—was completely restricted. In January 2021, seeking to take advantage of the program''s opportunities, we decided to shift the focus of our organization. Until the restrictions on hospital access across the country—which prevented us from being physically present—were lifted, we explored how to use this program to transform and extend our work. This led to the conception of the performance-via-teleconference model: implementing performances for our patients using teleconferencing applications, while striving to fully achieve our artistic goals and maintain the high standards we set for every project. Naturally, the Oncology Clinic of PAGNI in Crete remained our partner for patient access. In the summer of 2021, the Oncology Clinic and PAGNI informed us that, due to the heavy workload of doctors and nursing staff caused by Covid, they were unable to collaborate on the implementation of the project. There was a lack of available personnel due to understaffing. 

Ultimately, our efforts led to collaborations with the following organizations:

1. General Hospital of Florina
   Center for Physical and Medical Rehabilitation of Amyntaio
2. "Skylitseio" General Hospital of Chios
   Psychiatric Hostel
3. Psychiatric Hospital of Attica "Dromokaiteio"

The results were the implementation of the performance online in one patient at a time and in total  17 patients participated throughout Greece.

Naturally, given the nature of the initiative, through teleconferencing we managed to reach people in rural Greece, with lower educational levels, who in most cases had never been exposed to theatrical art due to financial constraints and other factors.