The COVID19 pandemic has affected each of us in very different ways, changing our lives in different ways. Many of us have found it hard to make sense of and express our experiences and to share what has happened to us. To help us understand each other we need to share each other’s stories.
We are delighted that Imperial Health Charity is funding 10 places on a Patient Voices digital storytelling workshop to allow ICHT staff to tell their own first-person, reflective stories about the impact on them and their work, careers, lives and relationships. We would love to hear your stories of re-deployment, red-zones, the front-line, behind the scenes working, the BAME experience, shielding – and, most importantly, the stories that you need to tell and are able share about how this has affected you as an ICHT employee.
What are these things we call digital stories?
Well, they’re not vox-pop interviews with you.
They’re not talking heads videos, where you’re sat in front of a camera for two hours, and what you say is edited by someone else until you don’t quite recognise your own story.
They are an opportunity for you to craft, tell, illustrate, and breathe life into the stories that only you can tell about a world- and life-changing time.
Here’s an example:
Two-letter person is a fellow ICHT staff member’s story about their own, personal, experiences of how working through the COVID pandemic has deeply affected their professional and personal lives.
What you need:
- Two hours, one day a week over six weeks for the online group workshop.
- A bit of time in-between to work on your story at your own pace.
- A computer or laptop.
You and your story are the most important part of this, and we will strive to remove any barriers that you feel are stopping you telling your story:
- You don’t need to be a writer – we will help you craft a great story
- You don’t need to be a computer expert – we will teach you only the techie stuff you need and support you throughout
- You don’t need to use your personal photos – we will help you choose and enhance other images
- You don’t need to be scared – we will work to ensure that the workshops are a safe, really-well supported space – we will look after you.
- This is for you (and will help others by knowing they are not alone).
Share your story!
- The workshop begins first week of May
- Workshop sessions are on Monday afternoons
- some flexibility after the first 1-2 sessions as we recognise people work shifts
- 5 places left – contact us soon