20 December 2024
Training for new Giggle Doctors
Since 1993, the Theodora Foundation has been dedicated to bringing joy and laughter to the daily lives of children in hospitals or those in specialist care centres.
To achieve this, the Foundation organizes and funds weekly visits from professional artists – the Giggle Doctors – to hospitals and facilities for children with disabilities across Switzerland.
To expand its artistic team, the Theodora Foundation is currently seeking talented artists to train as Giggle Doctors.
Collaboration with renowned training partners
Selected candidates undergo both theoretical and practical training to adapt their artistic skills to the unique needs of the healthcare environment. An essential part of the training involves completing 14 to 20 visits to hospitals and specialist care centres to gain hands-on experience.
The training is certified with a “Certificate of Advanced Studies” (CAS) awarded by the Accademia Teatro Dimitri and recognized worldwide.
“CAS GiD” 🎓
A postgraduate certificate in the art of Giggle doctoring: the transformative power of the performing arts in healthcare settings
The training aims to equip candidates with the following skills:
- Acquiring knowledge and specific skills tailored to hospital settings and the needs of hospitalized children.
- Adapting to the world of individuals with disabilities and its unique characteristics.
- Developing artistic skills essential for performing as a Giggle Doctor.
- Mastering the role and persona of the Giggle Doctor / Mr. or Mrs. Giggle.
- A significant portion of the training focuses on understanding the role of the Giggle Doctor within hospitals and specialized institutions.
- Earning a CAS (Certificate of Advanced Studies) awarded by the Accademia Teatro Dimitri.
Before the artists can practise, they receive more than 200 hours of teaching during a one-year training in collaboration with the Institute and the College of Health “La Source”. This multidisciplinary training guarantees optimal collaboration with the medical staff.
Corinne Ghaber is a lecturer at the College of Health “La Source” in Lausanne. She has been preparing the Foundation’s aspiring Giggle Doctors to work in the hospital environment for more than 20 years. Read the interview with her. This multidisciplinary training guarantees optimal collaboration with the medical staff, although the Giggle Doctors do not carry out any therapeutic activity.
At the end of this training, candidates are hired by the Theodora Foundation as junior Giggle Doctors. As members of the Foundation’s artistic team, they will work in paediatric wards of hospitals and specialists care centres across Switzerland.
We will regularly share glimpses of their training journey.
Schedule
- November 14, 2023: Application deadline
- February 5-6, 2024: Auditions
- April 8-10, 2024: Module 1 in collaboration with Haute École de Santé La Source in Lausanne (VD)
- May 27 – June 7, 2024: Module 2 in collaboration with Accademia Teatro Dimitri in Verscio (TI)
- September 4-6, 2024: Module 3 in collaboration with Haute École de Santé La Source in Lausanne (VD)
- January 21-23, 2025: Module 4 in collaboration with Accademia Teatro Dimitri in Verscio (TI)
More Information about the training
Interview with Daniel Bausch (in German)
Don’t miss the interview with Miriam Bass Costantini, Director of the Academy, where she discusses the origins of the training program (in French).