Story work is a vital tool in projects aiming to increase social cohesion, ease bitterness or reduce hostility or foster mutual understanding within or between communites.
Capturing ‘hidden’ stories, bringing to life the roots of the present, bridge building between groups are typical purrposes.
Conflict or collaboration, community building, cohesion or disintegration, all have significant roots in the stories we tell ourselves and each other about “us” and “them”, creating friends or foes, heroes and demons. The acting out of Interfaith suspicions are currently headline news. Story-sharing can help to allay mutual fears and lay the foundations for future understanding.
Discrimination, disadvantage and dissaffection often result in loss of self-belief and confidence in those feeling the effects. In turn, this can make it harder to escape the negative spiral.
As an experienced project manager in a previous (corporate) incarnation, I am well-placed to design and deliver planned results to time and cost. I can design and delivery workshop programmes, either as a sole practitioner or as part of your wider team, to work with groups experiencing disaffection or disadvantage for any reason. The content will of course vary according to need, but typically, the process helps participants find their inner voice, recognise the ‘other’, and progress through small group work to a greater sense of self-worth, self-confidence and communications skills, often improving their command of English on the way. This in turn frequently leads to greater socialisation, improves capacity to deal with the Authorities or better employment prospects
To find out more about storytelling for confidence-building, conflict resolution and community cohesion or simply contact me
