Puppets in Health Education

We have recently launched a programme for ‘Puppets for Health Education’ in Australia, to look at health issues, like Sexually Transmitted Infections, HIV/AIDS and other sensitive health problems and to nurture a better understanding and acceptance of these messages and how to deal with them, within a diverse Australian population.

Our program is designed to provide the necessary skills to community and peer-group educators to empower their communities with specifically targeted puppetry-in-education performances and workshops. We possess the results and evaluation of previous such programmes to prove the effectively of the puppet medium in dealing with such sensitive topics.

Puppets in Fiji

Read about our recent educational programs on the South Pacific island of Fiji

Why do we use puppets?

Puppetry has a unique ability to bridge gaps of misunderstanding and to bring people together to examine community social issues. Our productions combine both music and humour - two proven ingredients in crossing cultural and language barriers and reaching people internationally.

The puppet is a visual metaphor, representing the 'real life', but at the same time, it is one step removed from the real world. It can inform and educate at the same time. Puppets, and other inanimate objects, become alive and interactive, and combining them with humour and music, generating both an entertaining and educative experience for the target audience.

Puppetry holds up a mirror to society and gives people a chance to look objectively at themselves and especially enables people to laugh at themselves. It is less threatening than the human performer.

Puppetry brakes down barriers - It can be used to challenge social and political barriers as well as stereotypes, because it represents the 'neutral' aspect of the human, exaggerating its 'larger than life' issues. The reason for this is the puppet does not necessarily have to belong to any particular culture or language group or social class, as these can be researched and adapted to the target audience.

Puppets can say more than the 'live' actor - They can get away with being highly controversial and thus often 'say more' than the live actor could get away with. This is especially so when tackling taboo issues like sex, dying and racism. The puppet can be less embarrassing to the audience. The puppet forms a 'buffer' between the performer and his audience. It can deliver the strongest possible message, in a light-hearted manner without offending or frightening the audience.

The Aims of the Program

To work in Australian communities promoting health and development issues and an understanding of these messages within our culturally rich society.

To discuss the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and other sensitive and difficult diseases and issues, dispel the myths and false beliefs that exist about them.

To empower communities to perform their own educational theatre programmes to their peers, which contain all the necessary information and effectively and make use of this, to change patterns of both thought and behaviour.

All the above steps in the implementation of the programme will be done in conjunction with both government and local community-based organisations