Theatre group puts the drama into teenage pregnancy

Media Invitation Friday 7 July Hallgarth Secondary School, Hall Drive, Acklam 9.30am-3.15pm (NB Theatre performance starts at 2.20pm)

The CragRats Theatre Company will be encouraging Year 9 (14/15 year olds) to take a dramatic approach to teenage pregnancy when they will be helping the pupils direct and produce a short stage production to be performed in front of their classmates.

The production forms part of an awareness initiative from the University of Teesside's Centre for Practice Development. Based in the University's School of Health, the Centre has been awarded two Teesside Health Action Zone (HAZ) grants to undertake a major project in the Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland areas. HAZ is a government initiative that aims to tackle health inequalities and modernise services through local innovation: Teesside is one of 26 Health Action Zones.

Dr Marion McDonald is the HAZ Project Leader at the University. She said: "Young people can be overloaded with leaflets, posters and brochures and there is a danger that the message is not being heard. Using drama as a message carrier for sexual health issues is more effective as it is the young people themselves who have decided what the message is and how it will be better received and understood."

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