what we do
Inspiring Potential
THE NEED
Our vision at WaterLily & Co is to create a world where together with young people and our supporters, we create a society built for all children. Where hope is alive in every child. The challenges we face are:
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Educational gaps in Maths & English
Inadequate parental support
Poverty
Social inequality
Research shows that we need community leaders to challenge the status quo. Only a holistic approach with a cross fertilisation of specialists from a range of disciplines can tackle the root issues and enable young people to thrive in the education and future employment.
As a society, we all have a role to play.
SERVICES
We work closely with clients to fully understand their needs, offering bespoke solutions tailored to their unique requirements while sharing our eclectic experience to provide an efficient, professional and high quality service to all.
OUR VISION
We want to see every young person develop into their full potential in spite of their past or present circumstances.
OUR GOAL
We work with the wider community to create opportunities that enable young people to become equipped with the skills they need to thrive.
OUR VALUES
We support Foster carers by providing relevant and specific training that equips them with the knowledge and tools they need in their practice.
Dr Lana Burroughs
Social Work Course Lead
University of Bedfordshire
Thank you WaterLily for an energetic, motivating, inspiring and informative cultural workshop using forum theatre. The session was very well planned and very well received by the students who really got involved and felt safe to share their experiences.
Louise Purser MBE
Practise Educator
Central Bedfordshire County Council
Thank you for your brilliant contribution- we value what you bring to our NQSW assessments. Your characterisation of the young person was accurate and the feedback you gave was informative and rooted in social work values, enabling us to effectively observe and assess our candidates.
Sophie Marshall
Milton Keynes Council
Practice Educator
The actors took the task seriously, - considered, reflected and discussed the issues with us and each other and fully engaged with their role. It was a very positive experience for us and provided an excellent way of assessing candidates' potential for social work training
Social Worker
Milton Keynes Council
Really fun and interesting way to develop social work skills and aid reflection of practice during role plays. Developed communication skills and challenged me to consider how I engage young people and my overall approach with the type of questions that I ask.
TESTIMONIALS
With years of experience, you can rest assured that you're in good hands. Here are just a few organisations that we have helped.
OUR
publication
OVERVIEW
This paper reports on a drama workshop using techniques from the Theatre of the Oppressed to foster awareness of the complexities of cross cultural communication that BME students may face...
Article includes:
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The Theatre of the Oppressed is a revolutionary art form that utilises a range of drama techniques to empower individuals to take control of and transform their lives. One of the popular drama strategies that stem from the Theatre of the Oppressed is Forum Theatre
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The emphasis that Forum Theatre places on participatory learning, reflection, social injustice and empowerment makes it an appealing art based pedagogy for training social workers on cross cultural communication.
THE AUTHORS
Bethel Muzuva
Bethel Muzuva is a qualified Social Work practitioner, an Applied Drama Practitioner and Founding Director of Waterlily & Co. She is of Mixed British, Mediterranean and African heritage and draws on her personal and professional experience for this article.
Dr Lana Burroughs
Lana Burroughs is a qualified Social Worker, Senior Lecturer and Post Graduate Course Leader in Social Work at the University of Bedfordshire, Department of Applied Social Studies. She is of Black British Caribbean heritage and draws on her personal and professional experience for this paper.
