Sylwia Jaskulska from the Polish team took part in 29th International Congress on Creative Drama in Education organized by Contemporary Drama Association and University of Ankara (Ankara, 24-28 October 2018). During the congress she conducted workshops for teachers entitled Drama in prevention of peer exclusion in the context of cultural diversity.The aim of the workshops was to reflect on the possibility of using youth assets to prevent peer exclusion.The first part of the workshops focused on theoretical elements: the role of peer groups in the development of children and young people and the process of peer exclusion (mechanisms of exclusion, forms of exclusion, reasons for exclusion from a peer group). The aim of this part of workshops was to emphasize the importance of group for young people, understanding the mechanism and consequences of exclusion from a group, as well as exchanging thoughts and experiences in this scope. The second part included exercises with the use of drama method that depicts the mechanism of peer exclusion. The exercises that constitute a part of workshops are to bring answers to the questions concerning the mechanisms of peer exclusion, particularly in the context of culturally diversified groups: What is it like to be a new member of a group? What is it like to be a person that is different from the rest of the group? Why groups tend to exclude some members? What does the excluded person feel? How can one prevent exclusion? The third part of the workshops contained exercises that used drama methods improving personal (e.g. self-esteem, self-confidence) and group (cooperation, ability to set common goals) resources.
