Learning from the power of stories
For education, business, sport, NFP & community
Stories can take you beyond the universe and back again
What is Story Connect?
Story Connect was born from a lifetime of experiences that continue to teach me how powerful stories can be. Stories help define us. At home. At school. At work. At play. But they go beyond this. The processes of storytelling have skills that can be used from the classroom to the boardroom to everyday life. Story Connect teaches and enhances these skills through presentations and workshops that can be conducted on-location or online. While doing this, programs also underline the invaluable worth of stories as social tools that connect us in unimaginable ways. Story Connect is about connecting, thinking, creating, and embracing in a positive learning environment.
Primary: Years 5-6
Teachers: Professional Service
Conducted as workshops/presentations/online video sessions (Live and recorded). Durations and content are determined according to the requests from each school or organisation. Topics include:
The power of storytelling
Writing (Including writer-in-residence)
Critical thinking through the processes of storytelling
Media and news literacy: Don't fake it!
Responsible Digital Citizenship
How to inspire students to tell and craft stories (For Teachers)
Discover the crucial importance of 'digging deep' by using the processes of storytelling. Story Think doesn't only deepen your own storytelling ability, but the skills are transferable to everyday life. They enhance critical thinking, problem solving and creativity. Great emphasis is placed on curiosity, asking questions, and stripping back assumptions.
The nuts-and-bolts of researching, planning, constructing and telling a story. This includes writing in its many forms, and visual production. Story Create taps into the expertise of authors, camera operators, producers, editors, and photographers. As with all programs, the workshops/presentations can be as little as a brief summary (conducted during a class period) to an ongoing conception-to-delivery project.
International schools projects
Story Connect is also working on an international Not-For-Profit project with the Watering Can Foundation in India.
This project includes the publishing of a book of writings from students from several countries. If your school would like to be involved, please contact us.
'He picked a random object in the room and got the Drama boys to build a story, with the object as the starting place, by asking each other questions. Somehow, they managed to get from an ordinary desk chair to a love story between a French ballerina and a man off the streets of Paris...
Coming out of the session one of the students remarked, "It was really inspiring to hear how these little interactions with people had affected his life in such a major way."'
Year 10 Student,
Business, Sport, NFP & Community
Any of the education programs can be adapted to suit business, sport, NFP and community organisations. These programs can work very well in team environments in which people get to know more about each other through storytelling.
Core program: Story Connections
Research has shown the values of narrative as a healer and a conduit between people. Story Connections encourages participants to share stories in group settings. These can either be free-range discussions or based on topics. The whole idea is to encourage conversation. Story Connections helps builds such character traits as respect, empathy, and greater understanding of others. Importantly, much emphasis is placed on positive messages, encouragement, sense of belonging, and fun.
Core program: Story Present
Story Present offers two distinct services:
Hosting panel-driven or individual discussions either on location or via video conferencing.
Guest speaking & keynotes about the power of storytelling.
'#healthyexchange has won me. Perfect way to hear stories showing what's at the heart of rural health. @jameswords (James Knight) is superb.'
CEO NSW Rural Doctors' Network