COPE-Drama
Summary
Research Methods: 10-week arts-based workshops with drama, climate education, and field trips; data collected via interviews at three stages.
- Focus Areas: Climate risk education, creative expression, community building, and public performances in Metro Vancouver. Boosting wellbeing and heat resilience in adults 60+ through climate storytelling and social connection.
- COPE Co-Production Workshop: Group-based art intervention to be developed following the educational sessions and trainings.
Knowledge Mobilization: Dissemination via journals, policy briefs, media, academic conferences and community events.
911³Ô¹Ï the project: The COPE-Drama project developed a group-based arts intervention aimed at enhancing wellbeing and heat resilience among older adults aged 60+ through (1) education about climate risks and hazards, (2) opportunities for social connection and support, and (3) creative expression through climate-focused narratives.
Research Methods: The project brought together nine older adults for a 10-week program from June to August 2026. Participants met twice a week for climate education, creative writing, drama, and visual arts activities, exploring how storytelling, creativity, and connection can support adaptation to a changing climate.
Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted at three time points (i.e., pre-workshop, post-workshop, and post-production) utilizing questions to better understand participants’ socio-demographic features, their strategies for coping with heat at the time, their personal evaluations of the workshop, and their responses to performing their personal climate-focused narrative to a broader audience, among others.
Bringing Stories to the Stage: Developed and facilitated by Aryana Mohammed, the program culminated in a theatrical performance on August 21, 2026, at The NEST on Granville Island in Vancouver. Participants and researchers co-created two plays, The Coffee Social and Sizzlin’ Summer, drawing on participants’ reflections on climate change, community, and resilience.
The short film offers an opportunity to share this creative work with a wider audience and highlights the importance of including older adults’ perspectives in climate-related dialogue and action.
Watch the short film here:
Knowledge Mobilization: Our research findings will be shared via several mediums which include but are not limited to: (1) articles in peer-reviewed journals, (2) a policy brief, (3) feature articles in magazines and other media, (4) academic conference presentations, and (5) hosting community knowledge sessions and presenting on research-focused podcasts.
