Youth Affinity Storytelling
As part of Ex Fabula’s ongoing commitment to a radically inclusive community that honors the dignity of all people, Youth Affinity Storytelling aims to uplift the voices of the youth. Youth voices are an integral part of community building that often gets silenced, and Youth Affinity Storytelling allows youth the space to share personal stories and helps develop self-advocacy skills which can be leveraged when applying to post-secondary programs, seeking scholarships, and interviewing for jobs.
Self-advocacy skills also help young people to identify and articulate their strengths, notice moments of personal growth, deepen relationships with other community members, and make healthy choices for themselves and their communities.
How we work with youth:
- Storytelling Workshops incorporated into the daytime curriculum
- Interactive sessions led by Ex Fabula artists
- Workshop themes are chosen based on class objectives and academic standards. The curriculum is customized based on the theme and spread over 3+ class periods.
- Modules include: co-creating a Brave Space; parts of a story; story brainstorming; story structure; pair work with structured feedback; and sharing in small groups.
- Story Club presented as an afterschool activity at CLCs
- Weekly 60-90 minute sessions over summer, semester, or academic year.
- Ex Fabula artist would create a relaxed environment that also upholds Ex Fabula’s Brave Space (no hate speech) guidelines and promotes healing and sharing.
- Culminating StorySlams that foster shared understanding of one another
- An optional public showcase featuring true and personal stories shared without notes and in the allotted time.
- Flexible formats, depending on project goals:
- May be curated or open to anyone who puts their name in the hat.
- May be noncompetitive or allow attendees to vote for a favorite.
- Students may be engaged in Slam planning, depending on capacity and interest.
- Media collaborations that amplify the reach of stories told at events
- Following a storytelling experience, young people may work with Ex Fabula staff to publish audio, video, or written stories on platforms including Ex Fabula Radio.
