Informing Prison Theatre Improvement through World Café Conversations with Prisoners

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This paper aims to acquaint readers with the participatory consultation and research method of ‘World Café’ in the context of evaluating a theatre-based arts project delivered in a UK prison with adult male sex offenders. Our prison-based study involved 12 inmates who took part in a World Café with a follow up questionnaire, following participation in a 2-week theatre arts project. We found that the theatre project had positive impact upon prisoner a) health and well-being, b) self-esteem and confidence and c) the ability to develop healthy relationships. The conversational approach to World Café as described by Brown and Issacs (2005) enabled us to collect qualitative data and build consensus, whilst allowing individual perspective to be shared and valued in a group context. Our prison participants reported the World Café method was an enjoyable mechanism to enable reflection upon their experiences.