storytelling

//Tales to remember// //The human face of human rights//
 * STORYTELLING**


 * What it is**

Storytelling is about: - telling authentic experiences - sharing captivating lessons - participatory communication - reflecting on what happened - active listening


 * When to use it**
 * To introduce concepts and explore values.
 * To evoke powerful emotions and link them to human rights.
 * To enhance motivation, engagement and understanding.
 * To encourage respect for diversity of beliefs and values that result from a range of individual and collective experiences.
 * As an effective team-building tool when used with participants who are familiar with one another.
 * Not suitable for routine situations or exercises that require objectivity in the reporting process.
 * Not necessarily personal. Storytelling can convey complex patterns and nuances in projects, programmes and even organizations.


 * How it is applied**


 * Set clear learning objectives with whoever will be sharing stories, whether it is a facilitator, participant or expert. These may include introducing a subject, sharing information or telling participants about diverse situations or personalities.

Ask the storyteller to carefully prepare a relevant and powerful story, bearing the following points in mind:


 * Elements that evoke emotion, attract attention and have interesting aspects make a story effective.
 * Present the story from the perspective of a single protagonist to allow participants to empathize more easily.
 * Be descriptive, because people remember sequences of images more often than words.
 * Use images, sounds and video to complement the storytelling process.
 * Focus on the narrative aspects to avoid doing the analytical work for the participants.
 * Avoid discussing morals or subjective perspectives that can taint and limit the creativity of the participant later on.
 * Impart the story in a way that is appropriate to the background, culture and composition of participants. It can be done in a circle, lecture-style, using a video or as a screencast, for example.
 * Close any Storytelling exercise with a comprehensive debriefing and reflection, either as a group or individually, to lead into a related learning activity, such as a case study.


 * How to adapt it**


 * Instruct participants to bring an object or picture to the activity that will help them tell an individual story that relates to the topic of the meeting, event or training. These attract the attention of others and provide anchors for those telling the stories.
 * Divide participants into small groups to share short personal stories verbally in about 20 minutes.
 * Each group must then either choose one story to develop further or create a new story that combines multiple tales.
 * After enough time to do so has elapsed, the final story is told in plenary by a selected reporter from each small group.
 * Lead the conclusion of the session by reflecting on the lessons from all of the final stories presented.
 * The Postcards method stimulates discussion by conveying experiences visually. Participants arrive in advance with a relevant image or symbol, then mark their name and key words from the story on the back. These are hung on display and participants instructed to discuss them during lunch and breaks.
 * Arrange two rows of chairs to allow participants to face each other, creating a "speed dating" scenario. They must then tell a story about their professional experience on the subject of the session.
 * The first participant tells a story. Make a sound to signify that it is the second person’s turn.
 * After two intervals of 2 to 3 minutes, the sound (often a bell) is repeated. Instruct one row of participants to move one chair to the left (or right).
 * Repeat the first steps to allow the new pair to exchange stories.
 * After several rounds, or about 20 minutes, instruct the participants to stand behind the person who told them the most inspiring story.
 * This will identify the top 3 most interesting stories in the room and form the basis for a group discussion reflecting on the experience of others, common themes, contradictions and insights.


 * What to consider**


 * Pose provocative questions that elicit honest experiences at every stage of Storytelling.
 * Elicit reflection or stories by asking questions based on the participants’ experience, such as when they felt inspired, became part of a team or community, were proud to be part of something, saw changes occur or learned a valuable lesson about the subject at hand.
 * Pair participants with diverse backgrounds when using Storytelling as a team-building exercise to generate interesting dynamics.


 * Where to learn more**

Dare to Share’s in-depth guide to Storytelling, including instructions, check-lists and variations: http://tinyurl.com/2w84fhn Explore examples from the Centre of Digital Storytelling: http://www.storycenter.org/stories/index.php?cat=2 Free application at: http://tinyurl.com/4f869 Seven Things You Should Know About Digital Storytelling: http://connect.educause.edu/Library/ELI/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAbout/39398 Video discussing the consequences of a single story: http://tinyurl.com/3ydrsfm


 * Quotes:**

"In side events of the Human Rights Council, rights-holders with real life experiences are often invited. It can be survivors of human trafficking, indigenous peoples, persons with disability, human rights defenders, migrants, people who experienced discrimination. They tell their story, what they lived, what they suffered, how they claimed justice. Their stories are powerful and the audience can see the human face of human rights. Because human rights are about people". (Mara Steccazzini)

See, for instance, the stories and watch the video on survivors of human trafficking at: []

"I once attended an event in which an incredibly talented storyteller captured her audience with stories about people. The human aspect of her stories was absolutely captivating. The choice of her words, very descriptive, combined with her facial and body expressions made her narration so interesting and touching. She responded very well to the public's reaction. The connection with the audience was palpable. It was a powerful method of conveying human rights messages by placing the human aspect at the centre". (Ahmed Motala)

"As part of a recent training, we invited two colleagues to 'tell their stories' of OHCHR's engagement in two humanitarian crises. Their very personal reflections on the challenges faced were moving, placing the participants in the shoes of the affected population, as well as inspiring and generating good discussions on OHCHR's added value in a humanitarian response. This method also contributed to creating a positive 'sharing of experiences mood' among the participants." (Erik Friberg)