Comedy Workshop Inspires Ideas For Glyndwr Uni Students

Freshers students preparing for a career as youth workers were given a unique first lecture in the form of a live comedy workshop at Erddig.

Lecturers from Glyndŵr University’s Youth and Community course arranged for the Big Comedy Shop to hold an introductory and skills-building session for their new students at the Felin Puleston Countryside Centre.

Big Comedy Shop use comedy drama and issues-based themes across the UK to encourage team building and engage young people.

The Glyndŵr University group took part in a facial expressions game, quiz and creating their own freeze frame action shots to illustrate fictional news headlines.

Ged Turner, lecturer in youth and community studies, said: “Aside from helping new students to get to know each other, the workshop was an incredibly useful start for them in terms of learning about engaging young people.

“The techniques used by the Big Comedy Shop are tried and tested successful and we hope that students can use it as inspiration when they begin their work placements in youth and community settings.”

Ali Kahn, founder of the Big Comedy Shop, hosted the half-day session. She said: “Comedy is perfect for bringing people together and the aim of the activities was to increase students’ confidence. For the last eight years I’ve specialised in working with young people, particularly hard to reach young people, dealing with issues such as bullying and self-esteem.

“Everything in the workshops is improvised, and for a reason. We spend so much of our lives thinking about yesterday and worrying about tomorrow and thinking on the spot gives people a valuable life skill, for example with job interviews.

“The aim with the Glyndŵr University students was to give them inspiration in how they can use comedy and these creative exercises to engage young people.”

Pic: Ali Kahn from the Big Comedy Shop hosted a comedy workshop with Glyndwr University youth and community students