Ryan McMahon Workshops - Youth Leadership & Empowerment Through The Arts

Long before I was a professional comedian & writer - I worked with Youth. I was a Friendship Centre baby growing up and I'm proud to say that I've been involved with Youth Leadership, Training & Programming for well over half of my life. Working with Youth is as important to me as being on stage. I've been told I'm good at it. I've been told I should do it more often. That's why I'm writing this blog post.

I often speak candidly about the fact that Art, more specifically Theatre, saved my life. It gave me a place to rest my worries, it gave me skills to communicate & learn about trusting others, it gave me a place to be myself. 

The key to Empowerment & Leadership in Youth Communities is ensuring Youth are being heard and are given the space to be themselves. In the workshops series' that I deliver - this is where we begin - communication & trust.

The workshop series' that I offer are flexible and can be tailored to meet the needs of the host community. We work together to meet your goals and I won't bullshit you - I won't come to your community for a paycheque and leave the Youth without tangible skills or programs/exercises to build from.

I believe in connecting community with community. Often our Youth are disconnected from those that can make the biggest difference in their lives - the community members. I engage various members of the community to help us deliver the workshops and I try to connect Youth with community members that work in the various programs and services to help carry goals forward.

Have a look below and see if any of these workshop options fit anything you might be doing in your community. If you think there might be a fit there - send me an email at the bottom of the page.

Thanks for reading.

RM


THEATRE & STORYTELLING FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT & LEADERSHIP

WORKSHOP STATEMENT: Providing a safe space for Youth to "be heard" is essential to a healthy community.

In this workshop series, Ryan uses popular Theatre techniques, games & exercises to encourage Youth in healthy communication, risk taking, team work & ultimately personal empowerment in a supportive, fun & fast paced workshop environment.

Focus: Leadership, Empowerment, Team Building, Healthy Communication


YOUR VOICE, YOUR STORY - YOUTH MEDIA PROJECTS

WORKSHOP STATEMENT: Youth are not the leaders of tomorrow, they are the leaders of today.

In this workshop series, Ryan introduces various media tools & mediums to the Youth and through the workshop process they engage in the discovery of both traditional & contemporary stories & they work together to craft their own stories

Focus: Media Training, Storytelling, Empowerment, Leadership


COMEDY 101 - FIND YOUR INNER TRICKSTER

WORKSHOP STATEMENT: If healing is medicine, then we need more medicine men & women because we have a lot of healing to do.

In this workshop series Ryan runs the Youth through a comedy bootcamp complete with Improv, Sketch & Standup comedy modules and the whole workshops ends with a community performance. No performance experience is necessary and each group will be supported by Ryan and other facilitators in a fun, fast paced and very challenging environment.

Focus: Teamwork, Empowerment, Healthy Risk Taking, Laughter & Healing


SHARE YOUR SPIRIT - YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP & SELF DETERMINATION

WORKSHOP STATEMENT: Imagination, hard work & determination can bring you closer to your dreams - entrepreneurship & small business are great ways for Youth to change their lives!

In this workshop, Ryan runs participants through a "small business 101" workshop to help partcipants understand what it takes to be their own boss, chase their dreams & be successful at business. Special focus is put on using the internet & technology to help leverage markets & ideas in an effort to show Indigenous businesses can have a global reach!


WORKSHOPS FOR YOUNG MEN

LIVING MINO-BIMADIIZIWIN

WORKSHOP STATEMENT: The elders say, "when you live a good life, life is good."

In this day long workshop series, Ryan works with Young Men to examine "Mino-Bimadiiziwin" or "the good life." Ryan works with Young Men to strengthen cultural ties, work through personal Leadership exercises & connect Young Men back to themselves through strong Cultural grounding & working towards a better personal understanding of what it means to be a Young Man today.

Focus: Cultural Reconnection, Empowerment, Leadership, Healthy Risk Taking


FATHERHOOD: CARRYING THE HEARTBEAT OF THE FAMILY

WORKSHOP STATEMENT: As men, we have a responsibility to the heartbeat of our children, our partners, our communities & our Nations.

In this day long workshop series, Ryan works with Young Men to examine our roles inside of our families to help Young Men better understand how important it is to be present & engaged in order to contribute to building a healthy family.

Focus: Healthy Relationships, Family, Cultural Reconnection, Leadership, Empowerment


COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS

THE POWER OF THE CIRCLE - STORYTELLING WORKSHOP

WORKSHOP STATEMENT: Our Youth are our best teachers when they carry the teachings of the Old Ones.

In this powerful healing workshop series, Ryan brings the community comes together to engage in a supportive & fun Theatre based storytelling workshop series that brings together Youth, Adults & Elders alike. Through the process of the workshop the participants build an original piece of storytelling (multi-medium) to present to the community. 


KEYNOTE & SPEAKING 

TWO MOCCASSINS, TWO WORLDS

KEYNOTE STATEMENT: You were born with two moccassins on your feet - walk the best way you can in both worlds - ground yourself culturally to find success in the mainstream.

This keynote speaking engagement is Ryan's most popular workshop booking - through a 45 - 60 minute speaking engagement Ryan shares his story of failure & triumph and charts his path from a "kid that grew up in the bush" to "the fastest rising Native comedian working in North America today." (CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival). Ryan's honest take on the ups and downs of drugs & alcohol, his (re)connection to culture & ceremony and the balance it takes to live in today's contemporary context is all covered in the funny, sometimes painful, but always hopeful keynote presentation.


CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO BOOK YOUR WORKSHOP

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