On August 6th and 12th, 2024, we implemented a two-day storytelling training as part of our latest initiative to empower refugees and promote the core values of the European Union through personal storytelling. The training, led by professional storyteller Milda Varnauskaitė, aimed to equip staff and volunteers with the necessary skills to organize successful storytelling workshops starting October 9th and November 5th.
Day 1: Foundational Techniques and Story Structure
The first session focused on the basic knowledge and tips of storytelling, emphasizing the classical three-act structure—beginning, middle, and end—to create compelling narratives. Milda guided participants through exercises that helped them tap into their personal experiences and values, using vivid imagery and sensory details to connect with their audience. The session also highlighted the importance of ethical storytelling, ensuring that stories are shared with respect for the storyteller's privacy and autonomy.
Day 2: Ethical Considerations and Advanced Storytelling
The second session delved deeper into ethical storytelling practices. We engaged in discussions on maintaining the storyteller's control over their narrative, balancing the need for authentic representation with aesthetic considerations, and the responsibility of NGOs in supporting rather than directing the stories shared. The training concluded to implement these ethical practices in future storytelling projects.
Overall, the two-day training was a significant step toward empowering our team to facilitate storytelling that resonates with audiences and upholds the dignity and rights of the storytellers.
We will boost this project by applying these insights to our upcoming events, furthering our mission to amplify the voices of refugee communities, increasing awareness of EU values among refugees, and ultimately fostering stronger self-advocacy and their decision-making.
The project is funded by the EU through the Open Lithuania Foundation program "Verta".
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