A clown in Yellowknife, known as Whoopie Cushion, is seeking funding to provide support to students in the city. Antje Rilk, also known as Whoopie Cushion, previously worked as an education assistant in Yellowknife and now aims to bring her clowning skills into the classroom.
According to Rilk, school clowning is a branch of humanitarian clowning, a practice commonly utilized in hospitals and senior care facilities to bring joy and laughter to individuals facing distressing situations. She emphasizes that clowning can help relieve tension and uplift people’s spirits during challenging times.
Rilk’s journey into clowning began while organizing daytime programs for the Snowkings’ Winter Festival, where she discovered a school clowning program in Germany called True Moments. Inspired by the program’s focus on building deep connections and fostering empathy through play, she has been actively participating in True Moments online sessions.
Describing Whoopie Cushion as a character who is goofy, clumsy, and imaginative, Rilk envisions her clown persona as a comforting presence for children who may be feeling lonely or struggling. She believes that having a clown in schools can complement existing support systems and provide additional emotional support to students.
Despite receiving interest from schools in having Whoopie Cushion engage with students, Rilk highlights the challenge of securing external funding as an individual without organizational backing. To address this, she has applied for the Field Law Community Fund Program, which allows for project funding without the requirement of charity status. The program selects projects through public voting and community market judging panels.
Rilk expresses optimism about the program’s potential to support her initiative and hopes to bring Whoopie Cushion’s unique form of support to schools in Yellowknife.
