Youth Storytelling with the Centre for Stories

The Youth Storytelling project was a partnership between Cecil Andrews College and the Centre for Stories, an organisation that uses storytelling to inspire cohesion and understanding through rich and diverse programs. The project involved creative mentors coming to the school to work with small groups students to create meaningful, heartfelt texts in a wide range of genres. The students were encouraged to develop and share powerful stories that create a sense of togetherness and connection. 

A highlight of the project was a group of students who got halfway through the program and decided that they couldn’t finish their stories. Because of the bond the students had formed with the teachers and mentors. They were encouraged to continue, and eventually students produced sensational work that they were overwhelmed to share with their local community. 

It gave the students a belief that their voices mattered to others in the community. It increased confidence, self-awareness, and empathy.