Everything starts with story - It’s the master form of communication, learning,
​theatre, and media.

​Federation of European Storytelling

Put simply, storytelling is the communication of a real or imagined narrative to one or more people. It's something we all do every day and we are very, very good at it. In fact there is consensus among human scientists that storytelling is central to human existence, a key activity which defines our species. From our earliest days, Humans have evolved by using story to learn, connect as community and build collaboratively, we are who we are, because of stories and we are specifically wired-up to use stories!  

The past, the future, our current identities, cultures, relationships, communities, heritage, the world around us and our place within all contain  constructed narratives - story. Through experiencing quality storytelling as a teller or listener, we can become more skilled in authoring our own lives and more empathetic to the lives of others. 
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Storytelling is a social tool 

The conscientious, purposeful use of storytelling creates an incredibly powerful tool for personal, community and organisational, development, healing, learning or information gathering and sharing. With a low threshold to access and very minimal resource requirements, it's highly flexible social tool which can be applied anywhere with anyone. 
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Through the process of sharing and reflecting, participants often find that stories they thought were fixed truths are not set in stone. We can sensitively observe the stories we have been told or tell ourselves, to consider which ones serve us and which may not. We can gain skills in imagination, creation, expression and take authorship over our stories. Importantly, in the context of influencing change, storytelling can help us to consider the options ‘for what happens next.’ 

...and a performance art

Performance storytelling is plugged directly into this innate human experience, expressing and communicating with audiences eye to eye and heart to heart. At a glance, it appears a simple set-up; a performer with no or minimal props, sometimes accompanied by a musician. However, the experience for an audience member watching a skilled storyteller is anything but simple. Through narrative, presence, and performance skill alone, the storyteller expands the theatre space far beyond its walls and into the limitless potential of the audience's imaginations.  The most common responses I get from non theatre-going, adult audiences are; ‘Your pictures were in my head’, or ‘I was there’ or ‘that story was about me.’
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It’s a present and live artform with no fourth-wall, texts aren’t fixed and improvisation is used throughout; simultaneously it’s a deeply rooted practice. The stories’ content and imagery have been carefully curated by countless people and places over centuries, even milenia, in order to help process and express the most intense, shared human experiences. Storytelling is theatre at its most sacred. ​

APPLIED STORYTELLING. RESOURCES 

Find out more about the ideas above in the resources linked below. I was apart of developing each one alongside colleagues from Scotland and across Europe 

"People Places Stories (PPS) is an Erasmus + project (2020-22) which focuses on the creation of heritage communities as socio-cultural spaces for creativity, learning and participation...Our project aims to raise the capacity of citizens, facilitators, and local authorities to engage in these heritage communities.” (PPS.Eu) 

"The Aurus project has developed a transferable and accessible toolkit for social sector professionals. The toolkit uses a innovative storytelling approach to help professionals support those experiencing or at risk of experiencing social exclusion.” (Aurusproject.eu)

Storytelling for Advocacy Resource designed for care professionals and people living with Dementia - Coming Soon

Images From Top; Catherine Cowie, Andy Gunn, Elly Lucas