In NACCS we gathered stories through different means. We learnt how to tell a story with digital storytelling techniques and audiovisual material in Module 1. We also learnt how to mobilise photography, creative writing, visual arts, etc. in module 2 to make stories individually and collectively.
In this module 3, we will focus on the use of storytelling techniques in community settings, inducing conversations of change and narrative accountability, meaning shared reflection and responsibility for the evaluation of projects/ policies, their (social) impact and frome thereon, engage forecasting future actions in projects, organization, communities. 
In this strand we will delve deeper into community reporter techniques combined with digital storytelling (module 1), in which peer to peer storytelling and storylistening are considered as a shared practice that contributes to .
Storytelling in Community Settings and narrative accountability
 Look at the following video edited by People’s Voice Media and take some notes.
 Step 1 Collecting Stories - Community Reporting People's Voice Media
Note three different types of digital storytelling through community reporting:
1. Snapshot Story
2. Dialogue Story
3. Monologue Story

Tips: 
Chose snapshot story, if you need a first idea/ definition about what people think on the theme, definition. Snapshots are quick, spontaneous and are also nice ways of getting direct impressions for evaluative purposes. 
Chose dialogue story, if you need people to exchange on wicked or complex problems and expose viewpoints or if you wish them to become aware of the great diversity of experiences. The dialogue story, helps to deepen (common) understanding through peer to peer dialogue in exchanging experiences in shared life situations. 
Chose monologue story, if you wish people to reflect deeper on the stories of lived experience and complex situations. In this type of story, people either work alone, or in pairs. When working in pairs, the product of the digital video or audio, is only one visible element of the process. In most of the cases the making process and the conversation between community reporter and the storyteller has a strong value in itself. 
Telling and sharing a monologue story on audio, video can be done in a safe and intimate setting and peer to peer approach. The role of community reporter in this sense is the one of listener, helping the storyteller to tell the story in such a way that it feels authentic to them and true for them to share with others. 
NOTE: The digital storytelling technique as developed in Module I, ressembles the monologue story, developed by People’s Voice Media. You may use this digital storytelling technique and use the product as community reporting product and decide to do story curation and story mobilisation based on them afterwards. Go to fase 2 and 3. 
Chose a non digital way of storytelling when digital techniques are not appropriate or people do not wish to be on audio or video (see module II). This can also be a walk in the woods or a shared cooking session. In these situations stories are told orally and not registered directly. You may ask people if you may register their story on audio (like a podcast) or simply listen well and write down the story afterwards on a piece of paper together. After the activity you may collected the drawings they made, make pictures of them, or the stories they wrote in a creative writing session and then talk about it.   

Instruction for trainers:
Activity. Learning from story activity
This activity helps to make participants aware what the strength of community reporting can be and what is expected from participants when sharing their own stories. We used the approach of People’s Voice Media and digital storytelling as an example, but of course you may also use other storytelling techniques, linked to the tools exposed in module II, if you have examples. 
a.    Ask participants to identify different topics that are relevant to their lives (i.e. unemployment, education, hate crime etc.), work situation (changes in professional practice related to cooperation, co-creation, accountability, decisionmaking, shared responsibility, (in)equality) and select one to focus gathering stories OR tell the participants about the topic they are going to gather stories on. 
b.    Put participants into pairs or small groups and ensure that they have an appropriate ICT device for their needs that is connected to the Internet or use other materials (see module I) if working with arts based material (see module II) 
c.    Demonstrate how to use the devices to open up an Internet browser and go to http://www.communityreporter.net/
d.    Look for a community report on the website to give participants a look and feel of the type of stories they could make. Demonstrate how to use the ‘Explore’ tab to find stories pertinent to their topic by Searching a key word >> Clicking on the ‘Category’ tab and selecting an appropriate category for your topic >> You should then show them how to click on and access a specific story. (Tip: You can get the participants to follow along with this demonstration).
e.    Read and listen to a specific story and prepare a short summary of its key messages/ events etc. 
f.    Facilitate group feed back of the above in which each pair/group tells the other participants about a story they found. 
NOTE: If participants have particularly low levels of digital skills or independent working skills, the trainer could demonstrate how to find stories, screen them and review them as a whole group activity. They could use differentiated questions to support learners to engage (i.e. Which of these two categories is most appropriate to our topic? If we are looking for stories about education what key word should we type in? What event was mentioned in the story? What people were mentioned in the story? Etc.). Questions should be determined on the ability level of the group.

Activity 2: 
Level 1 or below dependent on delivery. This activity is suitable for ages 8+, people with mild learning disabilities and those with low literacy skills.

Resources: 

•    ICT devices Internet access
•    Projection facilities with sound
•    Flipchart paper and pens Snapshot Stories handout ICT devices
•    Storyboards & Story Maps 

Activity Delivery Steps

a.    Ask participants to identify different topics/issues that are relevant to their lives (i.e. healthy eating, life in their community etc.) and select one to focus gathering stories on OR tell the participants about the topic they are going to gather stories on.
b.    Explain the concept of Storyboards or Story Maps to the participants using the relevant task sheet (if appropriate).
c.    Support participants to either draw a storyboard or map out a story that details an event from their lives pertinent to the topic chosen to focus on (see step 1). These can be using the templates on the task sheets or on A3/flipchart paper.
d.    Facilitate a group review of the stories. You could replicate a similar activity to the Learning From Stories activity. (see above)
e.    Support participants to produce a digital version of the stories by either:
a.    Creating a photo storyboard using digital cameras from the hand drawn versions and add captions to them using an image editing application/software such as Pixlr.
b.    Recording the mapped stories as audio or video files using smartphones, tablets, voice recorders or camcorders.

Last modified: Wednesday, 18 December 2024, 8:14 AM