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Archive Number 2500

Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 15:12:36 EST
From: Cristy West
Subject: Re: Working with people with a learning disability






In a message dated 1/17/03 12:15:47 PM, JADowling@AOL.COM writes:

<< Let me first introduce my self as the convenor of the Health and Therapy
group of the Society for Storytelling in the UK. >>

Dear Janet--

Welcome! It is exciting to consider how this list is becoming an
international forum for the exchange of information and ideas. I hope you
will urge others from the UK to join in the conversation, too. We all have
so much to learn from each other! And as more people join, gradually it may
be possible for more regional working groups to come into existence.


About the query you posted-- from the person looking for help working with
people with learning disabilities -- you might suggest that he or she run a
search at the healingstory archives. I believe you can post a key word and
all related posts will be listed. Information about this is at the
healingstory.org website. Also, the query did not mention the ages of
participants? Are these ongoing groups?

When I begin working with a new group, my first step is to set some goals for
the project. I ask myself: what are the needs of this group? How can
storytelling meet these needs. What sorts of stories and story approaches
would be appropriate? I also think it's very important not to see people in
terms of their pathology alone. I am a great advocate for keeping "process
notes" to keep track of the learning curve. I believe that sort of write-up
can also be the basis for mutual learning, too. I have spoken about this
here on the list and will forward you a separate post in the hopes that this
might be of help.

Also, in terms of funding, I have also posted earlier a list of benefits of
storytelling in therapeutic settings. I find that this can be helpful to
submit to potential funders--to educate them about the sort of things
storytelling can do. Will post that to you off list as well.

Good luck to your newly forming group! You might also be interested to know
that when HSA was first coming into being, the start-up model in the UK was
a great source of inspiration to us!


Cristy West
Washington, DC