This article discusses the development, success criteria, and evaluation of a national applied theatre programme ("Everyday Theatre") that provides a safe and structured environment for students to explore solutions to issues of child abuse and family violence. The New Zealand programme is coordinated through the Department of Child, Youth and Family. It uses a sophisticated in-role use of a video game in relation to a dysfunctional family. This allows distance and protection for participants and therefore provides a safe context for the exploration of abuse issues. The students are deliberately framed and distanced from the central action of the game to allow for their 'protection into emotion', rather than 'protection from it'. This allows the students to feel the issues of the video game family. As students work to create strong, clear dramatic statements for the game, they find new forms to express their understandings of themselves and their families. In 2004 "Everyday Theatre" ran in 58 schools over a three-month period in three regions throughout New Zealand. The evaluation of the programme utilised teacher questionnaires, reflective journals and student focus group interviews. These inform the ongoing review of the programme and provide quantitative and qualitative data to Child, Youth and Family about programme effectiveness. It is recognised that a close alignment of purpose between the funder and provider is important. The programme was evaluated as being successful and from late 2005 became a full community applied theatre programme. The programme will work with community groups, government agencies including police, local Child, Youth and Family agencies and Māori tribal authorities.

Research in Drama Education 11(2) June 2006 : 235-245