In 2022, Youth Theatre Arts Scotland (YTAS) and the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities (SGSAH) carried out research into the long-term impacts of participation in youth theatre on participants’ professional and personal lives.
The study comprised of a web survey followed by case study interviews. The web survey was completed by 346 individuals, the findings of which were used to select a diverse range of individuals for the eight case studies below.
Key Findings
Comparative analysis of the eight case studies identified six key long-term impacts of participation in youth theatre, experienced to varying degrees and in varying ways by different participants. These were:
- Confidence (or self-belief)
- Emotional Intelligence (or ability to empathise with others)
- Resilience (or ability to respond well to stress and/or pressure)
- Teamwork and leadership skills
- Emotional wellbeing
- Broadened horizons
A number of features of the youth theatre experience particularly contribute to these outcomes:
- Skills development inherent in the creative activity
- Nurturing facilitation
- Supportive environment / community
In combination, these features create a system of continual positive reinforcement meaning that any outcomes of the experience become embedded in the individual as personal values – thus having a lifelong influence and leading to the positive long-term impacts on personal lives and careers.
These findings from the case studies are expanded upon below.
Further explanation of this study’s methodology is included in the full report, available to download below.
