Village Storytelling Centre VSF16: Personal Storytelling - Empowerment, Entertainment and Ethics

There is an increasing interest in gathering and sharing personal autobiographical stories in several contexts. Chaired by Lisa Curtice (Chairperson of the Village Storytelling Centre and Programme Director at the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland) we will explore the impact (intended and otherwise) of sharing our stories. Michael Williams will share his insights into illness, storytelling, and self-management: a personal perspective; The Village Storytellers (Joanne Marr and Douglas Mackay) will discuss coproducing Stories of Recovery from substance misuse and what the resulting publications have meant to the participants. We’ll also take time to reflect on the ethical implications of the collection and sharing of personal stories, as Emma Collins (The Village Storytelling Centre) asks Whose Story Is It Anyway? Finally we will consider The Rise of True Storytelling as an ever more popular form of entertainment, from the perspective of Michael John O'Neil the curator behind All of Us Versus, a popular night of (mostly) true tales.

9.30am – 9.40am: Lisa Curtice (The ALLIANCE) – Introduction and Welcome
9.40am – 10.30am: Michael Williams (Storyteller, coach, facilitator) – Illness, storytelling, and self-management: a personal perspective
10.30am – 10.50am: Joanne Marr & Dougie Mackay (The Village Storytelling Centre) and participants from our recovery projects – Stories of Recovery
10.50am – 11.15am: Emma Collins (The Village Storytelling Centre) – Whose Story Is It Anyway?
11.15am – 11.30am: Break
11.30am – 12noon: Michael John O'Neil (Writer, producer, performer) – The Rise of True Storytelling
12noon – 12.30pm: Panel discussion, chaired by Lisa Curtice