There were around fifteen curious people who visited the premises of the Ton sur Ton Foundation this Saturday in La Chaux-de-Fonds. For two years now, the Inclusion Forum has offered six-day training to become a volunteer clown and take part, at the same time, in mixed workshops with people with mental disabilities.
During this first day to discover the “clowns together” project, those present were already able to familiarize themselves with this universe which requires a lot of letting go and spontaneity. “I have no secret for teaching this to the participants, but we start with little warm-ups in a fun tone so that people get to know each other and have fun,” explains Anna Victoria Kaeslin, socio-cultural facilitator in charge of the workshop.
It was the success of the first training that made Michaël Wenger, head of the Inclusion Forum, want to take up the adventure again: “I felt that people really appreciated the last session. They discovered a world, for some, that they did not know at all. » Moreover, some volunteers have decided to relaunch for a second edition. This is the case for Damienne who discovered this practice last year: “It allows me to let go and be in the present moment,” says the resident of La Chaux-de-Fonds. But this is not easy: “I am normally a shy person. We wonder if we will succeed and what we will say. Immediately, the mind takes over. Then as soon as we put on a clown nose it’s magical,” says the volunteer.
Anna Victoria Kaeslin notes changes in the participants throughout the training. “They sometimes tell me that it wasn’t easy at the beginning with people with disabilities, that they didn’t know how to connect with them and, after a while, it happens by itself,” observes the actress. professional. She also notes that the people who had already taken part in the adventure last year express themselves with great ease now, which was not the case when she started.
Following this discovery day, people won over by the world of clowning will take part in several training weekends. They will gradually be made aware of a social approach to this practice to share moments with other clowns with mental disabilities. /cde
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