Training As A Digital Storytelling Facilitator
"After 20+ years of storytelling, it was humbling to be reminded that I can always learn more. Words can be just part of a story – digital storytelling layers in more creative elements, like pictures and music – to make a fully-formed and engaging project."
- Sue Robins
Monolith by artist Elizabeth Williams, Maycroft Provincial Recreation Area, Alberta. Photographed on my travels to a digital storytelling facilitators retreat.
I recently did my Level 2 Digital Storytelling Facilitator Training with Common Language DST, where I honed my skills in facilitating a digital storytelling workshop for a group of up to 8 storytellers. When I share that I am a digital storytelling facilitator, I often get an "uh-huh" followed by a pause of silence. I see that this term "digital storytelling" is often mistaken for a slideshow put to music or a full production short marketing film. It is a term that has been around since the 90's and is a reference to many different products of storytelling. As I work through the explanation of my method for digital storytelling, I see that it often takes watching a story to better understand what this is all about. So here’s one to dip into, check out my first personal story “Shift”, and as you watch it think about what feelings stay with you. In this story, I share my experience of the pre-term birth of my child who lives with VACTERLS, and the first years of learning to navigate the world as a rare disease parent. Creating this digital story allowed me to make sense of this complex experience and find new perspectives as a parent, caregiver and community member. I co-created it as a participant in a digital storytelling workshop with Common Language DST.
As a facilitator, I believe that with the right methodology, a digital story allows for an individual to authentically share their experience, voice, images and creativity. The ethical and creative process of a trained facilitator and storyteller co-creating a digital story together is what sets the Common Language DST Facilitators apart from other “digital storytelling” products that are in the world. The stories that we co-create are often used for education, advocacy, research and therapeutic intent and contain valuable insight into perspectives that are often difficult to attain.
Author, Speaker and long time healthcare advocate Sue Robins joined our Level 2 training workshop as a storyteller. Since creating her story, she has written about her experience moving from pen and paper to include the elements of image, audio and music.
Read Sue’s Article here - https://www.suerobins.com/post/the-making-of-big-love
“I can imagine all kinds of settings where their work could be shown to health professionals and students for educational purposes – at health faculty classes, during orientation, to reinvigorate weary staff. Digital stories serve as a reminder about what is important in the world: humanity, compassion and kindness. They give an insight into the patient perspective - about how it feels to be a patient that isn’t found in textbook learning.”
Letting go and embracing the digital storytelling creation process is about reframing a life experience and discovering the outcome. Guided by a trained facilitator, this can be unique and powerful for everyone involved. It results in impactful and insightful conversation with the audience during the screening. Mike Lange outlines this in his PhD Thesis “Emerging Horizons: Part 7”, where he documents and writes about the impact of a group digital storytelling workshop with six Adolescent and Young Adult cancer survivors.
As I co-create digital stories, I see the result is something impactful for the storytellers, often individuals who wish to turn trauma into wisdom. A story that takes on a new life form, at the helm of the storyteller. It is a gift for the viewers, organizations, researchers and community members, that provides the insight and empathy to fuel change.
Contact Krystle to learn more about Digital Storytelling Facilitation for your organization
