In partnership with seven library services, we recruited creative digital practitioners to work as Digital Storytellers who would work within the library service, reaching out to local groups and engaging them with digital storytelling workshops. In these workshops, participants were supported to use tablets and editing software to create digital stories about experiences in their lives. Following this, they had the choice to share their stories online and at several celebration events at the project’s end.
What skills and resources were you able to draw from the community for this project?
We wouldn't have been able to carry out this project so successfully without the expertise and enthusiasm of the local group leaders we worked with. Our partnership with the library services was an invaluable asset. Their relationship with the local communities enabled us to reach out and find a diverse range of groups.
The challenges
20% of adults in Scotland lack basic digital skills and this can exclude them from financial and social opportunities available online. Digital exclusion often goes hand in hand with other types of exclusion such as age, poverty and disability. Our project aimed to provide a meaningful hook to engage with digital technology.
Addressing the challenges
Our initial findings have shown that the project has broken down barriers to engaging with technology. The project provided a gentle introduction to devices which helped to reduce fear and negative preconceptions towards technology and the online world. We didn't anticipate the extent of which our project to positive health and wellbeing, for instance many people enjoyed the social opportunity to come together in a group and share stories. Participants described the process as "therapeutic". As the project progressed the participants began to see the importance and significance of their own stories and the stories of others in their community. As one participant told us "it's not the big headline stories that people relate to" - but rather those of local peers facing similar challenges.
The achievements
From our recent round of residencies in 5 local authorities we worked with 704 people, 363 of whom completed a digital stories. 224 stories are now shared online.
Token Project / Move One Million
Johannesburg, South Africa