Weaving Our Narratives 2021

Introduction/Background

Rising from the belief that storytelling is a fundamental necessity in an individual's journey to becoming a leader and a changemaker, the storytelling course will provide an inclusive space for twenty-five participants from around the globe to come together, explore their realities and share their stories.

Purpose

Many of us struggle with understanding our story and our own narrative. We have seen the power of storytelling, it can create change in ourselves as well as the lives of others. The purpose of this course is to help participants become aware of the power that their own narrative holds. This can be both an internal and external process. Sharing your own story can help increase resilience, self-awareness and the ability to understand the world. The course will also help you share your story with others so that we can collectively inspire change - one story at a time.

What are we doing?

Weaving Our Narrative is a one-month course that will focus on helping you develop your own story through workshops and self-reflection. The first part is focused on exploring your identity, dreams and motivations. You will be equipped with tools that can help you grow and better understand your impact on the world. After that, you will be invited to look outward and see how sharing your tale can be inspirational and motivational. Finally, you will engage in different methods of expressing and sharing in meaningful ways with others.

Event Details

• When: 15 May - 9 June (8 sessions), every Saturday and Wednesday from 4:00-6:00 pm (GMT)
• Where: Online via Zoom
• Language: At current time the course will be offered solely in English.
• Number of participants: 20 - 25
• Application deadline:  Applications now closed!

Programme

For more information on the different sessions please click here or on the button "Programme" at the top right.

Sessions

Each two-hour session will consist of different workshops that will assist you to have the confidence to share your story in a manner that is meaningful. These will comprise sessions that help develop your story, give you the confidence to share and sessions that explore story sharing through different artistic expressions.

Themes

Identity — Know your story

To explore and come into awareness of your story, by understanding more about your own nature, dreams and motivations.

Growth — What your story could be

Acknowledge the power that knowing and sharing your story has in healing, increasing self-awareness and in identifying how you can change yourself as a catalyst to achieve your own goals.

Inspire — How your story can impact others

To understand the importance of your story in your own life and the power it has to call, inspire and motivate others.

Connection — How to share your story

To be able to fully express and share your story, imparting its meaning in a way that connects you to your audience, whilst feeling confident in the boundaries of your vulnerability.

Who is this course for?

This course will be held online for individuals from around the world who are interested in further exploring their story and finding authentic ways to share it with others.

Participation and Commitment

There will be a total of eight sessions, each lasting two hours, that we ask you to attend. The workshops will be building off each other in terms of activities and self-reflection. As a result, missing more than one is not recommended.

In between sessions, you will be asked to work on further developing your story or reflect on activities in order to fully experience the development journey. 

The purpose of this course is to provide a safe space where participants can feel comfortable to share their story. We aim to finish with every participant sharing the story that they have developed throughout the course. Whilst you will not be forced to share anything you don’t feel comfortable with, we will encourage you to share what you feel you are capable of.

Expected Outcomes

This course will encourage you to:

• Walk away with a fundamentally better understanding of a significant aspect of your life.
• Grow as a consequence of exploring how your story and your identity shape one another.
• Find inspiration through listening and engaging with others and walking a part of your journey together.
• Share your story in your group, and potentially do so within the Creative Leadership conference.

 Speakers

Wednesday 26 May: Growth

Maruee Pahuja (India) is a Visual Artist, Specialty Contact Lens Consultant, Ocularist and Expressive Arts practitioner. She is pursuing her Masters in 'Expressive Arts Therapy' from the European Graduate School. She is also currently volunteering with People Beyond Borders as their creative trainings co-lead. Her passion, curiosity and research are directed toward building a holistic health care system that incorporates healing of body, mind and soul through intermodal expressive arts and nature based expressive arts practices in conjunction with conventional medicine. She is deeply inspired by Carl Sagan's scientific teachings of the Cosmos and is often found sailing on the ship of imagination.

Wednesday 2 June: Inspiration

Brian Knowler (Canada) is a veteran police officer, retired lawyer, speaker, and author involved in the justice system since 1994. In 2004 he was the lead investigator in a motor vehicle crash involving the death of a close friend, causing his life to spiral until he was finally diagnosed with, and began therapy for, PTSD in 2012. Brian has published two books about his experiences with trauma and leadership: ‘On the Other Side of Broken – One Cop’s Battle With the Demons of PTSD’, 2016, and ‘Career Suicide is Overrated’, 2018. He is also a freelance writer for outlets including Vocal and WhatCulture. Brian speaks and consults for media outlets on issues surrounding trauma, leadership, and public safety across North America. He is the creator the CAPITAL L Leadership training program and facilitates ongoing Mastermind groups and training sessions exploring the CAPITAL L Leadership concepts for modern professionals. Brian’s CAPITAL L Leadership program received the 2019 Corporate Livewire Award for Excellence in Mental Health Support. Brian is a certified leadership coach, mindfulness coach, critical incident stress supporter, and a member of the International Institute for Mental Health Leadership.

What they say

“Stories are everything to me; they are how I connect with the world and the people around me, how I learn and grow, how I find the empathy to forgive and above all how I love. In my eyes, Storysharing is truly one of life’s most significant elements of magic.”

— Yara Farhat, Lebanon / Canada / Ivory Coast

 

“Stories have a wonderful way of connecting people with each other and to learn about the world. I have found that storytelling has helped me better understand my own struggles in the global context. In short, stories have me develop into a better global citizen.”  

— Steven Lin, Canada

 

“I believe we truly are made up of stories. These past moments are what shape our present and our future, and to be aware of these experiences and the impact they have on our life’s journey is both a process and a gift.” 

— Sidra Raslan, Syria

 

“Regardless of age, everyone has an important story to tell if we only stop and listen. As natural as breathing, the sharing of personal stories is something humans have always done to create connections with each other. It's an important way we can step outside of our own experiences and into someone else's shoes to see from another perspective.” 

— Sarah Schofield, Canada / Mexico / UK

 

“Storysharing to me is what bonds people together, what allows imaginations to fly and souls to soar. I believe that through telling stories, especially our own, we can continuously discover that there are more things that unite us to each other and the world, than the things that divide us. It is a way to contribute to the journey of being the change we want to see in the world.” 

— Manuela Garay, Canada