We are all natural storytellers - sharing personal stories in research

Using stories moves us beyond logic to enable emotional connections.

Working with Media Education, this workshop will explore how we can use storytelling and basic film-making to understand more about the lived experiences of public contributors in research. Media Education produces films and podcasts with people about their lived experiences, working with people furthest from power to enable individuals to advocate for themselves to create positive social change. They then collaborate with organisations to share these stories, influence policy and create social change.

This workshop will use storytelling techniques to discover ways to help public contributors relate their experiences in a safe and engaging way. This can be especially useful for quieter members of groups and provide ways for them to communicate their feelings or concerns. We will also explore ways to help PPI members reflect on what skills or learning their involvement in research has helped them to develop and how to describe this.

We will cover how to create short personal films about lived experiences and how the combination of visual and personal narratives can also increase audience engagement with the study topic. To create the narratives we will use reflective practice, building understanding of experiences and learning, enabling the group to understand their contributions and transferrable skills gained.

We will also outline how videos and personal reflections can be used to evidence work for SQF qualifications (e.g., Access to Media or Community Leadership), which provides a meaningful way to recognise PPI members' input.

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Host or Publisher Dr Olivia Swann