Training Courses (What We Do)

Provide a range of established and award winning innovative, interactive and entertaining training programmes.
Design customised courses.
Enliven conferences with entertaining sketches.
Provide professional actors with role playing expertise.
Provide presenters and facilitators.
Scriptwriting and role play briefs.

There is a list of our established training courses below. These can be tailored to your requirements.

Conferences and Masterclasses that Playout are presenting at:
Presentation Skills Masterclass 17 June and 8 Oct, Healthcare Conferences
Consultant Appraisal Skills Training Conference 15 May Healthcare Conferences
Masterclass: Train the Trainer - a creative approach to training 5 Sep Healthcare Conferences
Follow the links for more information and to book.

Recent Events include: Medical Workforce Essential Briefing , Presentation Skills Masterclass Masterclass: Creative Training Control and Restraint Conference

Our established courses

Creative Presentations
Difficult Encounters and Conflict Resolution
Caring Communications
Creative Training (A Train the Trainers Course)
Dramatic Team Building
Pitching To Win
Dynamic Diversity
Facilitating With Ease
The Art Of Appraisal
The Vibrant Voice

Course Costs

Course costs vary according to your specific needs. For guidance courses cost between £500 and £1,000 per day. Most courses are suitable for between ten and forty people. We provide course materials and certificates as required. Contact Becky for more information.

Creative Presentations

A challenging and exciting one day course designed to provide an increased understanding of the skills and techniques required to deliver dynamic presentations. The course will provide an opportunity for participants to practice and review their presentation skills and techniques and receive constructive feedback. Delegates will be encouraged to develop a creative approach to creating a presentation and consider how best to engage an audience. They will also consider the impact of non verbal and verbal communication and the use of visual aids. As well as participating in a vocal workshop in which they will practice breathing, resonating, articulation and projection exercises.

Difficult Encounters and Conflict Resolution

A one day training programme specifically for health care professionals. The course covers the Conflict Resolution national syllabus as stipulated by the NHS Counter Fraud and Security Management Service. It is an interactive and entertaining course which focuses on how to deal with challenging and potentially violent situations both on the phone and face to face.

Live theatre demonstrations of aggressive interactions in health care settings are performed by professional actors as a foundation for analysing human interaction. Delegates are encouraged to think about the psychological state and behavior of themselves and the service users. Through watching these sketches and considering various communication models participants think about how to identify and prevent potentially hostile situations and develop an awareness of warning signs, de-escalation techniques and risk assessment.

Delegates build on these communication skills by group work and through redirecting one of the scenes to create a positive outcome. They look at the difference between verbal and non verbal communications, active listening skills, the use of empathy and a positive approach to diversity.

Caring Communications

Caring communications is a master class for anyone who would like to understand more about the art and science of communication. It is an interactive and entertaining course that provides delegates with an opportunity to develop their communication skills with both members of the public and other members of staff both on the phone and face to face.

Live theatre demonstrations of interactions are performed by professional actors as a foundation for analysing work related interactions. Delegates are encouraged to think about the psychological state and behavior of themselves and others and explore various communication models They will also look at non-verbal and para-verbal communications, active listening skills, managing difficult behaviour and the use of empathy. There is an opportunity to participate in script reading and role play to enhance personal style.

Creative Training (A Train the Trainers Course)

A half day train the trainers course with a difference. Creative training looks at personal delivery techniques and explores how to open a session, lead a group and bring energy and fun to a training day. It also explores how to be imaginative when creating a training session and the use of drama skills as training tools. Expert trainers who were pioneers of drama based training in the public sector offer advice and guidance on how to use drama techniques such as forum theatre, role play and script reading exercises successfully.

Dramatic Team Building

Dramatic Teambuilding is an entertaining half-day course that uses theatre exercises and script reading to develop good group dynamics and team spirit.
During the course delegates will participate in a fun drama workshop and physical and vocal exercises that develop trust, sensitivity and group awareness.
Participants will read scripts demonstrating an unproductive and negative team and use this as an impetus to discuss what creates successful and creative teams.
By the end of the course participants should have had a positive and enjoyable time together, developed a better awareness of themselves and each other and have a good understanding of how best to work as a team

Pitching to Win

This half day programme is designed to develop sharp delivery and good communications when pitching for business. The course will provide delegates with an opportunity to dress rehearse making a pitch and receive individual constructive feedback on their skills. They will consider a range of delivery techniques and how to stand out and communicate well when addressing potential clients. They will also look at being able to adapt a pitch to client expectations and identify methods of handling questions and difficult audiences.

Dynamic Diversity

A half day entertaining, thought provoking and interactive course, that aims to develop communication skills and heighten awareness of dignity and diversity in the workplace. Dynamic Diversity shows, through a series of short scenes, different kinds of subtle prejudice and encourages the participants to think about how it might feel to be discriminated against. The vignettes explore issues including culture, disability, gender, weight, mental health and sexuality.

Facilitating With Ease

A creative and practical half-day course that takes a fun and informative look at how to be a confident and sensitive facilitator and leader. The course considers how to engage a group and how to deal with difficult group dynamics and a diverse range of personality types including the shy and withdrawn, the over domineering and the tired and disinterested. It encourages participants to develop a reassuring, empathic and engaging personal style.

The Art Of Appraisal

A fun and interactive half day course that provides delegates with an opportunity to develop communication skills in relation to performing appraisals. The Art of Appraisal uses live theatre performed by professional actors to demonstrate what can go wrong with an appraisal. These sketches show how communications can breakdown and are used to help delegates think about the purpose of appraisals and how to develop a productive and sensitive style. Participants also have the opportunity to practice their skills on a simulated appraisee played by an actor and receive individual constructive feedback.

The Vibrant Voice

A half day workshop presented by one of our professional actor voice tutors. The course aims to help participants develop a rich, clear, projected and colourful voice. It helps participants consider the importance of lively expressive communication whilst also considering the importance of protecting the voice. This practical course will include exercises in relaxation, breathing, resonating, articulation and projection and provides participants with a vocal workout that can be continued after the course is over.