Last December I bought the book “The Many Faces Of MAiD”, not my typical holiday read. I wanted to feel prepared for the two virtual digital storytelling (DST) workshops that I would be co-facilitating with Dr. Mike Lang and the research project Disrupting Death. We were about to dive into the important and often misunderstood service of Medical Assistance In Dying (MAiD) to help 13 participants create digital stories about their intimate experience of supporting a loved one through MAiD.

Disrupting Death is a research project lead by Principal Investigator Kathy Kortez-Miller of Lakehead University. The project examines Canadians experiences with MAiD.  After spending several months with this team, I was heartened by the strength and determination from both the research team and the storytellers to shift the narrative in Canada around MAiD.

The digital stories that were created were complex, deeply personal and an important insight into the MAiD experience.

Two Organizations, Two Virtual Digital Storytelling Workshops

Finding the right storytellers is a key part of running a successful digital storytelling workshop. Individuals were invited through Bridge C-14 and MAiD Family Support Society, both offering networks of community support for those in all stages of MAiD.

As facilitators, we know that entering the digital storytelling creation process can be a vulnerable and emotional experience for storytellers. Participants who have a complete understanding of both the workshop process, the time and technical commitment and their emotional readiness to engage in the process will gain the most from the experience. The process involves revisiting life experiences through reflection, writing and photographs. It can be hard to reflect on difficult moments, and yet it can be an incredibly rewarding experience for those who are ready to gain from the process.

Like these organizations, we discovered that all of the storytellers that joined the workshops have an ongoing desire to support others who will care for someone who choses MAiD. Many were driven to not only tell their own stories, but to share the legacy of their loved one who has passed. A layering that made these workshops unique.

It Takes A Team, Why Having Common Language DST Facilitators Matters.

Through his research, Dr. Mike Lang with Common Language Digital Storytelling (CLDST) has developed a specific process for supporting individuals in creating a digital story. Last year, I completed the Level 2 CLDST Training, which involved over 56 hours of time deepening my understanding of digital storytelling and practicing the facilitation skills required to guide a group through the creation process. The skills learned through this training and the ongoing mentorship circles were essential in supporting the 13 storytellers with care through these workshops.

Caring for storytellers takes a team of skilled individuals who can anticipate the emotional, technical and creative needs of the group. In addition to the Principal Investigator, Kathy Kortez-Miller, the MAiD workshops digital storytelling team consisted of three CLDST Facilitators, and two Research Project Leads, one of which was a social worker.  From overcoming technical hurdles from afar, to creatively moving a series of difficult events into a compelling narrative, to emotional support for those who felt moments of unravelling from the work.  It was all-hands-on deck to ensure that the storytellers were supported as they created a digital story. Our goal was to help them feel a sense of agency and empowerment with their story, and every role was essential.

“Disrupting Death” Having The Right Platforms For Sharing Digital Stories

Dissemination is a key part of the digital storytelling process. In the final screening of the workshop, we celebrated and acknowledged the experience of each storyteller by both watching and talking about the digital stories. We connected through tears, laughter and a sense of collective accomplishment.

A strength of this research project is the platforms that Disrupting Death has established to quickly and effectively share information, stories and conversations. There is a website, a YouTube channel and a podcast that hosts the completed digital stories. Having these platforms pre-established, makes the digital stories readily accessible to a wide audience beyond the traditional research community. Kathy Kortez-Miller and Keri-Lyn Durant complimented the digital stories with a three-part podcast series that interviews storytellers and facilitators, (including myself in Part 3), about their experience in the MAiD digital storytelling workshops.

The combination of a website, podcast and YouTube channel offers communication that is multi-layered and provides both experiential and reflective perspectives around MAiD. It also gives a deeper understanding of the digital storytelling process, a term that has been ubiquitously used since the 90’s and is often confused for other forms of video presentation.

Building Community Through Digital Storytelling Workshops

Upon completing the workshops, storytellers have stayed in touch through emails and chat groups. Some have shared their digital stories independently in private screenings, with small and large audiences, others hold their stories close watching it when the time feels right.

Throughout each workshop there was a bond within the group that evolved after the story circle. Together, we experienced the evolution of the stories, overcame emotional hurdles, and developed confidence and a respect for what it meant to create these short films. Films that went beyond the individual storytellers to also honour the loved one who has passed.

The art of digital storytelling facilitation is a powerful medium that can be used to gain insight on difficult topics while supporting those who we are seeking knowledge from.

Contact Krystle to learn more about Digital Storytelling Facilitation for your organization.