Jungle Theatre Company’s organisational profile

vision statement

A world in which people are socially, culturally and environmentally conscious and active.

mission statement

Original African theatre inspiring young people’s hearts to understand and care for the community, culture and nature.

company description

We are an established NPO with more than 20 years’ experience. Our artistic team is skilled in creating, performing and facilitating theatre shows and workshops for children, families and youth workers. Drawing on our diverse cultural heritage, we move people to find connections to our environment and shared humanity.

activities

  • Create, perform and improve original African theatre productions for children and young people on social, cultural and environmental themes.
  • Create, present and improve theatre workshops for children, young people and adults.
  • Provide training in theatre skills for adults working with children and young people.
  • Implement and sustain performing arts clubs with children for children.
  • Broaden our networks and develop partnerships that strengthen our work.
  • Develop and implement a creative market growth strategy that effectively promotes Jungle Theatre Company.

strategic objectives (2018 – 2020)

core business –

  • Existing shows & workshops:
    – Perform 8, 10, 12 existing Jungle shows & drama workshops (full fee) and 50, 60 and 70 shows (funded) respectively;
    – Develop resource materials annually i.e. story cards and curriculum materials that add value to performances and workshops, and allow teachers and youth workers to build on and sustain their impact.
  • Capacity Training & Development:
    – Train and develop 6 – 8 theatre makers from mid – 2018 at a minimum of 2 sessions per week rolling out into performances & workshops in 2019 & 2020.
  • Facilitator Training:
    – Facilitate the Creating Theatre with Children Module (funded; full fee and/or as part of Butterfly Art Project Community Art Partners Programme) at 2 Modules annually.
  • Performing Arts Clubs:
    – Develop & ensure the sustainability of drama clubs by continually monitoring and evaluating the programme, raising funds, developing local partnerships, and mentoring the facilitators: – increasing the clubs from 2, 3 to 4 per annum;
    – Establish an annual festival to showcase the drama clubs and obtain feedback i.e. Term 1-3 – Plan & motivate club participants to participate in festival; Term 4 – Organise & participate in Year-end festival / fundraiser.
  • General:
    – Strengthen the impact of JTC through integrated planning of performances, workshops, training programmes and performing arts clubs. Term 1-4 annually – Integrate development of new scripts with performance, workshop, resource material, training and clubs programmes;
    – Develop a database of contacts and potential partners in communities in which JTC is active;
    – Develop a database of contacts, and explore potential partnerships with theatres and theatre companies working with children, and/or on social, cultural and environmental themes;
    – Deepen and nurture existing partnerships;
    – Develop and implement a marketing communications strategy.

internal processes –

  • Ensure adequate staffing and support to enable the management and artistic teams to effectively fulfil their diverse roles and responsibilities:
    – Review staffing annually; modify plans based on capacity; recruit as necessary and possible;
    – Outsource jobs where necessary;
  • Recruit and develop one new artistic team intern per year:
    – Internships support JTC’s needs & provide the intern with experience and understudy opportunities;
  • Outline the range of roles within the sector that relate to JTC, in order to clarify roles and enable succession planning within JTC and the industry:
    – Identify and name the roles within a theatre company
    – Chart appropriate succession opportunities within and beyond JTC;
    – Maintain a contact list of supportive people & organisations;
  • Develop and implement a staff appraisal system:
    – Update job descriptions & KPIs;
    – Regularly appraise staff performance;
  • Provide professional development opportunities to enhance JTC’s capacity to achieve its goals:
    – Regularly assess JTC & staff professional development needs;
    – Fundraise to enable professional development;
    – Match appropriate opportunities to staff;
  • Proactively offer assistance in order to learn by doing, develop experience, and assist with the achievement of JTC’s goals:
    – Staff to identify areas in which they can learn by doing and offer to help
    – More experienced staff to provide mentorship where required;
  • Schedule regular team-building sessions to motivate and enhance the team:
    – One team-building session per term;
    – Include debriefing of term, socialising & learning opportunities on topics relevant to needs;
  • Continue taking responsibility, individually and collectively, to improve communication, including using technology:
    – Ongoing, based on JTC’s core values
    – Management & staff to develop systems that enable efficient communication;
  • Conduct research to understand existing audiences and develop new audiences:
    – Ongoing research: club / local community focus;
    – Networks & partnerships; new theatres; children’s theatre;
  • Implement Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) systems and tools to enhance programme and professional development:
    – Develop and improve M&E systems & tools;
    – Enable all staff to use M&E systems & tools competently;
    – Collect and analyse data to benefit JTC’s programmes, professional development and, and the sustainability of the organisation;
    – Evaluate the longer-term impact of JTC on ex-actors, trainees & interns.

financial –

  • The financial objectives include compliance, project management, marketing, impact assessment, finances and fundraising:
    – Source funders that contribute towards organisational costs such as salaries, office costs, website development, training and team-building;
    – Become more self-sustaining through doing more paid shows for schools and corporates; improving the marketing of shows; promoting JTC’s BBBEE certification as a benefit in both fundraising and paid performances;
    – Ensure that sources of funding are ethical;
    – Ensure funding tracking: fundraise proactively and report satisfactorily;
    – Conduct research and develop a fundraising strategy;
    – Develop a contact list of supportive people and organisations that can support JTC through sponsorships, donations and in kind.