Acting Safe in Perivale

Tie-Dye Drama is a London-based arts organisation dedicated to using drama as a creative and inclusive tool to engage and uplift communities. Our work centres on helping young people build confidence, support their wellbeing, and explore their creativity.

We were delighted to deliver this project in Perivale, working in partnership with Selborne Primary School as part of a wider initiative to keep Perivale safe and welcoming for everyone.

We delivered a series of interactive workshops with pupils at Selborne Primary School, focusing on how young people can contribute to a positive, safe, and welcoming local environment. The project explored themes of community responsibility, kindness, and safety in public spaces.

Before the workshops began, we facilitated an interactive focus group with pupils to understand their perspectives on Perivale. This created an open space for students to share their experiences, concerns, and ideas about their local area. Their feedback shaped the direction of the sessions, with a strong emphasis on being friendly and inclusive, while also understanding the importance of stranger safety.

Through drama-based activities, pupils explored real-life scenarios linked to everyday situations in their community. Workshops included discussion tasks, group role-play, and scene creation, where pupils acted out both positive and challenging situations. Key themes included being welcoming to others, making safe choices when interacting with strangers, keeping public spaces clean by not littering, and encouraging others to take care of their environment while staying safe themselves.

Pupils showed high levels of engagement throughout, contributing thoughtful ideas and demonstrating a strong understanding of how their actions impact others. Many reflected on the importance of balancing kindness with personal safety, and developed practical ways to respond to situations they may encounter in their local area.

The project highlighted how effective drama can be in helping young people explore community values and personal responsibility. Pupils responded particularly well to opportunities to act out scenarios and discuss real-life situations, allowing them to learn from each other and build confidence in their decision-making.

We aim to continue developing this work, supporting schools to explore themes of safety, community, and well-being in ways that are interactive and pupil-led. There is strong potential to expand these sessions further, including follow-up workshops and additional topics such as environmental responsibility and peer influence.

Advice to other organisations:
Start by listening to young people and understanding their experiences of their local area. Create space for open discussion and ensure their voices shape the work. Use practical, engaging approaches that allow pupils to explore real-life situations, and encourage a balance between kindness, awareness, and personal safety. Small changes in understanding and behaviour can contribute to a more positive and welcoming community.