Creative Change-makers
Legislative Theatre: Domestic Abuse and Homelessness Prevention
Policy proposal vote; Audience members and actors voting on policy proposals; Louise Cahoon, 12th March 2025.
A play co-created and performed by women with experience of domestic abuse and homelessness led to key changes across services.
The Campaign
The Legislative Theatre project on Domestic Abuse and Homelessness Prevention brought together a group of women who have first-hand experience of domestic abuse and homelessness. Over the course of four workshops, they co-created a play based on their collective first-hand experiences, which they then performed to an audience full of key stakeholders and policy makers.
The actors and audience members then collaborated with a panel of policymakers to co-create 3 key policy proposals to prevent homelessness for women experiencing domestic abuse, based on the issues raised in the play. The panel of policymakers included the key decision-makers who have the power to influence policy and practice when it comes to preventing homelessness for women experiencing domestic abuse in Northern Ireland. The event concluded with each of the members of the policymaker panel committing to short or long-term actions to work towards the proposals, which they have been reporting back on over the past year since the event.
Actors and facilitators; Expert by experience actors and project facilitators group photo; Louise Cahoon, 12th March 2025.
Being shortlisted for this award is a recognition of the talent, commitment and creativity of the incredible group of women who took part in this project. Based on their first-hand experience of domestic abuse and homelessness, they co-created and performed such a powerful play. Through their expertise, courage and determination they have influenced changes in policy and practice to prevent homelessness for women experiencing domestic abuse in Northern Ireland. We couldn’t be prouder of all they have achieved.”
Kerry Logan
Participation and Policy Lead, Housing Rights
The Change
The project successfully influenced changes to policy and practice in Northern Ireland to prevent homelessness for women experiencing domestic abuse including:
-The Northern Ireland Housing Executive appointing 2-3 Domestic Abuse Leads in each of their offices.
– Further training being rolled out with police officers including dealing with breaches of court orders and domestic abuse.
-The Police Service NI attending clinics with Women’s Aid to offer support to women regarding breaches of non-molestation orders.
-A new Housing Rights service to support people experiencing domestic abuse is currently being piloted with the hope of further expansion to include peer delivery.
The project also had a personal impact on the experts by experience involved, as one commented, “It’s allowed me to take every negative experience I’ve been through and turn it into something positive.” Another said, “It just entirely empowered me and changed, made a shift in my trauma. I also want to pursue a career in performance theatre and making change in society. I can’t look back!”
The Future
Since the event Legislative Theatre practitioner Katy Rubin returned to Northern Ireland to provide training to Housing Rights staff, experts by experience involved in the project, other creative practitioners, and staff from other housing and homelessness organisations. This enabled Housing Rights to develop a network of legislative theatre practitioners to continue to use this creative campaigning tool to address homelessness in Northern Ireland. In addition, they have been continuing to work with the actors and policy team members to progress the policy commitments made at the event and they will continue to do so to ensure the remaining actions are progressed.
Who else was involved?
The 11 experts by experience involved; Housing Rights; Arts and Homelessness International, the People Act; and North Down and Ards Women’s Aid.
