Behind The Mask 2021

Taking what we learned on the Behind the Label project and world developments in 2020 with Covid 19 we have created a new project concept entitled Behind the Mask targeted primarily at those who have or are experiencing homelessness in its many forms.  Throughout 2020 we have experienced changes to our lives which include mask-wearing. For many this has brought new difficulties:

• inability to read facial expression or reading them wrongly

• feeling more isolated in interactions with others and sustaining conversations. Many of those we consulted talked about the difficulty they had of interacting with masks, added to the difficulties they already had. 

• being understood in speech both from the perspective of clarity and tone as often people are raising their voices to be understood more clearly but finding it is being interpreted as anger/frustration/aggression

• how they are stereotyped based on the rest of their appearance and/or their life situations in conjunction with the mask

We want to create a project that looks at the issues raised by mask wearing in issue-based groups and how it has had a knock on effect on their mental health and feelings of acceptance in society. This will take the form of workshops (virtual and physical) and creation of short films with people discussing their experiences to share with others and including a creative fun element also. We will also use workshops to teach body language and expression to help with overcoming the barriers to reading facial expressions and being misunderstood due to mask wearing. Weekly workshops will therefore cover:

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• a safe space to discuss feeling and emotions around issues with exercises to encourage and develop free expression

• issues arising and techniques to combat issues

• understanding perspectives and challenging stereotyping

• body language training

• living with uncertainty

• using technology to share with and educate a wider public

Through the workshops we will create a series of short films which can be used in other settings. One of our goals is to work with high schools and disseminate the work to them, showing the films and creating discussion packs around this. Our work challenges people’s assumptions about this community and the community’s assumptions about themselves and their capabilities.