Youth Storytelling Training

This past Saturday (9/17) I had the privilege of facilitating a Storytelling training for approx. 40 youth from the Rock County area. These teens are involved in an organization called Youth2Youth (Y2Y) and are active in tobacco and substance abuse prevention work. Former and current members have testified on local and state tobacco issues as well as given media interviews and protested outside Big Tobacco shareholder meetings.

Here are my take-aways & lessons learned

Share your story. How can we get them to share theirs if we don’t share ours?

These teens are fearless. After a writing exercise and practicing their story with a partner, I asked for volunteers to tell their story to the full group, I got over 10 volunteers who came forward. Very different from the adults I’ve seen go through these activities.

Be prepared, like a boy scout! I had everything I needed (laptop, LCD, speakers) except for an extension cord which ultimately turned out to be OK after I played around with some of the cords that were lying around. I wish I would have had some pens too - hard to do a writing activity with nothing to write with (props to the adult leaders as they had some!)

Bring a photographer! I was doing this training solo which meant that it was hard, OK impossible to take pictures of the group. I really do like the idea of paparazzi at our trainings.

Appreciations – they make you feel all warm and gooey inside! When the presentation was done, the group leader asked for appreciations from the group. Here’s a sampling…
“Thanks for sharing your story with us.”
“Thanks for taking time out of your Saturday to present to us.”
“Thanks for helping me develop and share my story.”.

The teens finished up the training with some planning on how they are going to use their stories and the adult leaders will be working with them on their plans.