It was a special day for the pupils of Göttenbach Gymasium and Realschule plus Idar-Oberstein: the RAK invited them to the Idar-Oberstein Municipal Theater for educational theater work. Here, Theater Requisit performed an hour-long improvisational play. This was followed by discussions with pupils, teachers and actors in several small groups. The discussions were professionally supported by members of the RAK: Daniel Herrmann, prevention specialist from the addiction counseling service of the Caritas Association, Sabine Moser, Melissa Becker and Sebastian Herzig from the Idar-Oberstein Youth Welfare Office and the team from the school psychological service, Hanna Dorscheid and Annika Kreuzer. The event took place in cooperation with and sponsored by the State Office for Social Affairs, Youth and Care, Addiction Prevention Department.
"The Requisit association only accepts former addicts who have been clean for at least three months," explained Nora Steagner, a graduate and theater educator. This also applies to Katja, Pady, Johannes, Dominik and Sascha, who performed together with Steagner at the Stadttheater. The pupils were able to influence the performed scenes by specifying themes and moods and adding sentences. The result was a successful and exciting interplay, which basically had nothing to do with addiction at all and was received very positively by the pupils. The multicultural audience was able to influence the stage program in a creative way and visibly enjoyed this concept.
Steagner explained this approach as a way of helping the pupils to lose their inhibitions about the subsequent discussion groups. This would create an atmosphere of trust. On the other hand, this would also open the doors to the taboo subject of addiction in the discussion groups and raise awareness of the topic in a special way. Social education worker Melissa Becker from the decentralized youth work department agreed with this approach and added: "The best way to gain access to young people is to act as equals."
The discussion rounds then got down to business. The causes and progression of addiction were discussed in a protected setting, and the pupils were given information about the regional specialist advice centers and the help they offer. The actors are permanently employed by Theater Requisit and are specially trained to talk to the pupils about the first signs of addiction and ways out. Theater Requisit is also a stabilizing pillar for the former addicts themselves. "An addiction and the way out are like playing the fingers on a keyboard. Instead of an all-or-nothing mentality - 'I've made it' or 'I've relapsed again' - it's important to convey that there will always be highs, lows and everything in between on the way out of addiction. Relapses are part of the process," says Steagner. She emphasized motivating conversations, reinforcing previously learned coping strategies and pointing out existing resources."
The teachers also took part in a discussion with the theater director and actors. Actress Pady, who has been with the theater for several years, talked about her personal experiences. Traumatic events in her childhood led to addiction. She has since come to terms with and reflected on her story through therapy. In order to minimize the risk of relapse, she joined Theater Requisit and left her old environment.
"When we talk about addiction prevention, many people immediately think of bans and pointing fingers," explain Sabine Moser and Sebastian Herzig from the City Youth Welfare Office. The two of them also run the Tom and Lisa workshops on alcohol prevention in the city. This event proves that there is another way to teach young people about fun, joie de vivre and new perspectives as the best recipe against drugs and too much alcohol, the two educators summarize. Risk management rather than prohibition is also a core aspect of the HaLT (Hart am Limit) alcohol prevention program, which is run by the Idar-Oberstein Youth Welfare Office.
"The event met with great interest among our students. It was a great theater experience for many young people and their knowledge of the topic of addiction increased. It is particularly remarkable that we even received positive feedback from the students themselves," explain the two school social workers Catarina Klos and Sophie Schwinn.
The pupils were given a reflection sheet after the event. Due to the very positive feedback from the students, the organizers are considering offering several events with Theater Requisit in the city of Idar-Oberstein next year.