StoryWorks: The Value of Using Real Life Stories

By Gemma Gibson

Three years ago Karen Lewis from the University of Glamorgan teamed up with Maria Boffey from The Fostering Network and, with funding from Beacon for Wales, set up StoryWorks, which uses stories from real people across all walks of life with a view to effect change. One of the most successful works they have produced is ‘Men Who Care’, a booklet which emerged after a 3 day workshop in which male foster carers would share their stories and experiences of being a Carer with each other. The booklet contains personal stories which challenge the stereotypes surrounding men and foster care and it can be used on a personal level or within a group as a support to those ‘hidden voices’ of the male minority of foster carers. Karen and Maria were shocked at the massive success of the booklet, which received 20,000 downloads from the Fostering Network website on top of an impressive 5,000 hard copies given out. The positive effects of this booklet have been endless; the absent voices who previously only listened to the problems of those in their care now had a place where they could be listened to. The barriers and isolation felt by this minority group were broken and future foster carers will undoubtedly benefit from ‘Men Who Care’ and similar works produced by Story Works and The Fostering Network for years to come.

‘Digital Stories’, a similar project organised by the team at StoryWorks uses still images and photographs alongside a real person’s voice telling their own story. Rhian’s story, for example, was of her battle with cancer. It was put onto the StoryWorks website as a downloadable podcast and is therefore easily accessible by the many people and families who have been and/or are being affected by cancer. The StoryWorks team have made a wide range of downloadable booklets and digital stories which can be found on the website (www.storyworksglam.co.uk). The striking thing about the StoryWorks project is that these real people have a strong desire to share their stories; they want to help others going through similar difficulties. The Story Works projects have felt a massive success across the 13 years in which Karen Lewis has been involved, but the true success should indeed be felt by the real people who have shared their touching stories as "Our real life stories are precious and sharing them isn’t easy."