Validating and Connecting Experiences of Working and Studying Abroad Through Digital Storytelling

StoryA – A Transnational European project funded by ErasmusPlus.  The UK Component is led by the University of Brighton.

Partners: MeltingPro (Italy – lead partner); Storycenter (USA), Media Shots (Portugal), Verein Digital Story Vienna (Austria), Perspectives (Belgium), Museu da Pessoa (Brazil), Kulturskolan Stockholm (Sweden), Cape Peninsula University of Technology (South Africa).

DigiTales is working closely with the University of Brighton to deliver the UK components of STORYA. Our primary goal was to take advantage of the opportunity to work with a group of young people over an extended period of time on a sharply focussed research question. Our view was that the longer time period created scope to establish relationships with young people by introducing them to digital storytelling before they went abroad so they could gather resources for their story while they travelled before attending a production workshop to craft their stories on their return. We were fortunate enough to be able to draw on our existing relationship with the Salvation Army Housing Association’s Open Talent programme which provides new creative opportunities for hard to reach young people and includes periods spent outside the UK.   UoB, DigiTales and SAHA worked together to create a bespoke workshop programme for young people travelling to South Africa and the Netherlands. For most of the group, this journey was their first time outside the UK. In December 2015, we ran a three-day workshop to produce digital stories with the group about the impact of their experiences abroad.  Here is a story by Sophie, who describes a life-changing experience:

You can see stories from across the partnership here on the StoryAbroad Youtube channel.  We also made a short video containing interviews with the young people as they went through their digital storytelling workshop.  You can download the E-Book that was produced by the partnership: Travelling Stories.