Storytelling project

Project Aims

DfES Innovation Unit/Ethnic Minority Achievement Unit

The Travellers Storytelling Project's aims and how we propose to achieve them.

Storytelling

We wish to promote the active involvement of the Gypsy/ Traveller and Roma communities in the education of all children by building on their traditional skills as story tellers.

We will use professional Gypsy/ Traveller and Roma story tellers to work with schools across all phases - Early Years/ Primary and Secondary:

to promote creativity
explore social and emotional relationships
embed this rich cultural tradition in our schools.

We will set up storytelling workshops for children to peer mentor and focus on issues of respect and the celebration of equality and diversity.

These schools will network and provide the opportunity for visits across phases and areas and help promote respect/understanding and awareness of different cultural traditions.

We wish to use the Vardo built by school children from South Leeds High School (during the DfES Secondary Project) as a focus for storytelling and use it as a ‘storytelling environment’ and also bring in a modern trailer as contrast and reality check!

We will also train local Gypsies/ Travellers and Roma to build on their natural abilities and become a local resource for story telling in this area.

We will provide training sessions and practice with local schools and also weekend courses/ workshops at the Northern College and take them to the Storytellers week in Edinburgh in October. They will also collect and develop stories from within the community.

We will accredit this story telling course with the Northern College through the Open College Network and enable the community to gain certification and also provide a template for further students to access.

We will celebrate and promote this story telling initiative by hosting a story telling celebration event at the Leeds Civic Hall during the Black Achievement week and invite all participants to publicise and promote this work.

We will also promote this activity through our web site and provide a full record of the processes and stories produced along with photographs, recordings and DVD to facilitate similar initiatives in other areas.

Publications

Storytelling Resource

A DVD, Wall Poster, Storyteller & Artist Portraits all wrapped in an attractive package.

This Learning Resource can be used effectively across the Curriculum – Literacy, Drama, Art, Music, History, PSHE and Citizenship and across all Key Stages 1 – 4 and for In Service Training (INSET).

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Further reading

Pocket Universes

Kyloe Records