Seeking evaluators for our storytelling program

July 1, 2024

Centre for Stories is seeking participants to join a storytelling workshop program to evaluate our resources and methodology. All participants will be paid for their time and expertise. We are particularly interested in participants who see themselves working with our organisation in some capacity, potentially as partners or future story trainers themselves. This program has generously been made possible with funding from Lotterywest.

Up to 10 participants will be selected to learn the fundamentals of storytelling and have the opportunity to create a short oral story that is important to them. Our workshops have been shown to improve confidence, wellbeing, narrative skills and public speaking. You will have the chance to meet a group of like-minded and fascinating people from our community. Graduates will receive a Certificate of Participation, hear about further paid speaking events, potential employment opportunities as story trainers, and join our Stories for Good Alumni Network.

Apart from these many benefits, participants will also be paid a flat honorarium of $264, plus super, upon completion of the program.

Participants will be asked to complete a series of evaluation forms and yarning circles (debriefing sessions), sharing what they think works well about the training, what doesn’t, and how they think it could be improved. Some of the training will be filmed for future training purposes and used internally by Centre for Stories.

Participant’s final stories may be recorded and shared through Centre for Stories’ website and communication channels, depending on interest and with consent from participants.

Program outline:

• Group Workshop 1: Saturday August 17th from 9:30am – 12:30pm at Centre for Stories
• Group Workshop 2: Saturday August 24th from 9:30am – 12:30pm at Centre for Stories
• A one-on-one half-hour training session (organised individually at a time that suits you between 2nd – 9th September)

Morning tea will be made available at both workshops. If you have accessibility concerns that may be a barrier to you attending, please contact us at info@centreforstories.com.

We strongly advise you to keep these workshop dates free in your calendar even before you have been accepted.

The trainer

Your trainer will be Centre for Stories Community Development Coordinator Luisa Mitchell. Luisa is a Nyungar-Anglo-Australian storyteller originally from the remote town of Broome, the Kimberley. She currently manages the oral storytelling program and partnerships at Centre for Stories and has taught storytelling for a range of organisations and clients, including young people and adults through Nyamba Buru Yawuru in Broome, Indigenous Desert Alliance, Telethon Kids Institute, Follow The Dream Albany and YACWA. She was particularly proud to support mob and culturally and linguistically diverse peoples to share stories in support of the Yes for the Voice referendum in 2023, resulting in the Hear Our Voices collection. She is a published writer, filmmaker and producer.

Who is encouraged to apply?

The following traits are not compulsory but highly desirable:

• You enjoy a great story, whether that’s in books, films, music, art, podcasts or otherwise;
• You think you have a story that hasn’t been explored much or at all by other storytellers from Centre for Stories;
• You are passionate about helping others to share their stories or believe in storytelling as a powerful tool for empowerment and advocacy;
• You come from an underrepresented, minority or marginalised community yourself;
• Have an understanding of trauma-informed practice;
• Have experience in facilitating, coaching, social work or similar people-to-people skills, such as listening, empathy, and high emotional intelligence;
• Work for an organisation that is interested in partnering with Centre for Stories in future.

Please complete the EOI form below to be considered for the program.

The closing date for EOIs is on AUGUST 1st at 11:59pm and you will be notified soon after if you have been selected to participate.

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