Jul 6, 20205 min read

Our plan to deliver safe, creative and engaging workshops post-Covid

Updated: Oct 12, 2020

Lockdown has provided us with an opportunity to look closely at the way we run our workshops. We've consulted our practitioners, studios, partners, and many of the teachers, schools and businesses we work with, and we're planning ahead to deliver a strong programme of creative, innovative, and engaging creative learning experiences and trips which also adhere to all social distancing guidelines to help keep our clients and practitioners safe.

Below is a summary of our plans as they currently stand. It is an evolving situation and we will continue to liaise with our partners and suppliers to ensure every precaution is taken to minimise risk.

Read the Government advice here.

How are we keeping you safe?

Theatre Workout is a service provider and does not manage any venues or property. For our workshops we are working with our practitioners and studios to prepare for the delivery of workshops. In terms of planning school trips we are liaising with partners and suppliers including theatres, hotels, hostels and hostels, attractions, restaurants, travel companies, etc to ensure every precaution is taken to minimise risk.

Workshops

Given the restrictions on schools now and in the next few months, and the lack of guidance as to when theatres can safely reopen, we do not expect to run any workshops in our studios until January 2021, so we will continue to assess this situation.

Until then we are focusing on delivering online and outreach workshops only until the end of 2020.

Theatre Workout's Outreach programme will deliver workshops in schools across the UK and, in time, around the world on request. Practitioners will travel to the school and work within the parameters of the school's own guidelines, allowing us to provide workshops which are creative, engaging and safe!

Practitioners will ensure they social distance from students, wearing masks or face coverings when in public areas. They are not required to wear a face covering during a workshop, but may do so for their own protection.
Studios should be well ventilated.
Practitioners will make efforts to minimise vocal activity such as singing
Students may be asked to social distance where possible, although this may depend on the age of students and the policies in place within the school.
Students and practitioners will be asked to sanitise or wash hands regularly before, during and after an event.

Online Workshops will enable Theatre Workout to reach a global audience, delivering bespoke group workshops, one-to-one coaching, and CPD training for teachers and other professionals across a range of subjects.

PPE and Safety Measures

The safety of students and staff is paramount and every precaution will be taken to minimise risk. The following measures may be altered based on government guidance:

Present until the end of 2020:

'Live' Outreach workshops will only be delivered to single classes where students are already learning within a bubble.
No workshops will contain physical contact between students or staff and practitioners will maintain 1-2m distance from students at all times.
We will aim to teach a full range of techniques where it is safe to do so, but some performance techniques may be limited based on developing government advice.
All practitioners will be provided with face visors and masks to wear during 'live' workshops in schools. They will also be provided with hand sanitiser and disposable gloves.
Students may also be required to wear face masks to minimise the spread of infection to our practitioners. Masks can be provided where schools and students cannot provide their own.
Staff may require access to studio spaces ahead of students to mark out areas where students can work
Schools must share their health and safety guidelines during the programme development process to ensure practitioners can work within them.
Practitioners will be contractually obliged to practice all due diligence and not expose themselves to any unnecessary risks in the 14 days prior to visiting a school and will not attend if they show any symptoms.

From January 2021:

This policy will be developed further in the autumn, but our current plans include the following policies:

When workshops resume in London's West End, only studios which can cater for social distancing regulations will be used. This may exclude some venues which have narrow corridors etc.
Venues will be required to provide hand sanitiser on entry and exit and all visitors will be required to use it.
Venues will be required to clean studios more frequently prior to use by Theatre Workout
Groups should travel only by private coach and minimise exposure to the public. Theatre Workout can arrange coach travel on request.
Only one class bubble per workshop. Schools may not be permitted to combine classes or bubbles. Any trip where this is required will have separate workshops for each group.
Practitioners will be provided with PPE such as face visors and masks.
Students may be required to wear face masks.

Trips, Packages and DMC services.

Attractions, museums and galleries are starting to reopen and we will work with them to ensure distancing and other guidelines are followed, relaying all relevant information to groups as part of the booking process.

Theatre Workout Travel can not take responsibility for groups outside its workshops, and group leaders must take responsibility for their group when travelling. However, Theatre Workout recommends the following:

Accommodation, attractions, restaurants etc will only be booked where groups can be accommodated together.
Suppliers will be required to provide their public safety procedures and rules in advance, detailing things like one-way systems, hand sanitiser and washing facilities, social distancing measures, etc
Groups should travel on private coaches between each activity where possible
All groups must provide full contact details for each person on a trip for potential track and trace purposes. Limited details will be passed to suppliers in advance such as on the day contact details for group leaders and main school details.
Groups should wear face masks when in enclosed spaces

What can clients do to keep groups safe?

The global coronavirus pandemic is still ongoing. No travel is risk-free, and disruption is still possible. If you plan to travel:

Read the coronavirus travel guidance to make sure you are prepared for your travel.
Prepare students in advance on the rules and regulations in the destination being visited.
Read the Travel Advice for your destination, for information on local coronavirus measures that you will need to follow.
Sign up for email alerts for Travel Advice to ensure you are informed of any changes while you are travelling.
Ensure your group has suitable group travel insurance to protect you should anything go wrong - this applies to domestic and international groups.
International groups are also encouraged to invest in Vagaband wristbands for the entire group to store emergency contact details, medical data, schedules, addresses, etc safely in the unlikely case of an emergency.