Storytelling for Changemakers at the Byron Writers Festival

Yesterday I facilitated another ‘Storytelling for Changemakers’ Workshop at the Byron Writer’s Festival office with a truly inspiring group of changemakers and writers, including a social entrepreneur and a corporate consultant. I have been teaching and developing this body of work since 2014. I have to say it’s getting better and better. Yesterday was exhilarating!

Storyteller, author and SCU academic and Iris Curteis PhD introduced me to the term. Storyteller and biologist, Dr Fran Stallings encouraged and mentored me in teaching environmental storytelling, and I then wove in material from my friend, therapeutic storyteller, Susan Perrow, writers Kenneth McLeod (Age of Transition), Charles Eisenstein, Joanna Macy, Dr Martin Shaw, George Monbiot, Michael Meade and others.

In the pair work pictured, participants chose from seven story prompts from the book ‘Wake me up when the Data is Over’. Then they took turns telling the story of their change-making project. They got constructive supportive feedback from their partner and there was a lot of excitement in the room, as people told their stories and then got suggestions of ways to make it clear and engaging. We covered a lot of theoretical ground- one participant said she came away with 12 pages of notes, but participants also got time to tell stories, to discuss and engage. We finished our day with a relaxation and visualisation to keep our story lights strong.

Big thanks to Sarah Ma and Emily of BWF for incorporating me in their program and looking after us so well! I can’t wait to teach the next one which will be online starting Wednesday evenings, October 16. Early Bird price expires October 9. Enrol here. (FB Event here)

I will soon make a date for the next live local workshop. Email or text me if you are interested- it will probably be a Saturday in Ballina if I can find a suitable venue. Join my newsletter to stay up to date.