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A Storytelling & Dialogue Project~
Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Projects
Over the years, the organisation has developed a two-pronged approach to facilitating important encounters. Storytelling allows participants to tell and hear personal stories in a fully supportive atmosphere. Dialogue provides participants with the opportunity to ask questions and have honest exchanges as critical issues are discussed. Both types of conversation can happen in single-identity as well as cross-community contexts. Safety is a key aspect of every encounter facilitated by Towards Understanding and Healing, however, participants are encouraged to allow themselves to be stretched and to grow as a result of the experiences.
The work of Towards Understanding and Healing is adaptable to the needs of its users. Particularly in the case of single identity or cross-community dialogue encounters, Towards Understanding and Healing can create programmes designed to provide specific groups or organisations with opportunities to engage in storytelling and/or dialogue. If you, your organisation, or someone you know would like to be involved in any of the events organised by Towards Understanding and Healing, or you would like to inquire into how we could support the work of your organisation through storytelling or dialogue, please contact us.
Towards Understanding & Healing's Training Resource:
For the past year, Towards Understanding and Healing's work has been focused on the production of a training resource that would enable others to facilitate the storytelling process. August 2008 saw the launching of the training resource and the completion of Towards Understanding & Healing's current funding. Though this means that Towards Understanding & Healing is not currently planning further storytelling residentials, the training resource is intended to enable others to carry on the storytelling process. The completed training resource includes the following:
- The booklet "Towards Understanding & Healing Information," which gives a brief overview of Towards Understanding & Healing as an organization.
- The book Stories In Conflict: Towards Understanding and Healing, which outlines the development of TUH and explores the rationale behind story telling.
- The training for trainers DVD, which includes testimony from past participants of TUH's storytelling residentials as well as an inside look into a storytelling session.
- A resource packet, which includes exercises and ideas for facilitating the storytelling process.
If you are interested in learning more about the storytelling process, the training resource, or TUH's work, please feel free to contact us or stop by The Junction.
The
Junction is funded by the Community
Relations Council
through the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation.
The
Junction - 8 Bishop St. - Derry/Londonderry - BT48 6PW- Northern Ireland
Tel: +44 28 7136 1942 ~ Fax: +44 28 7126 4641
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