Join the journey and be part of the story
In the words of a Siberian Proverb: “If you don’t know the trees you are lost in the forest. If you don’t know the stories, you are lost in life.”
On 2nd September The Story Museum in partnership with Asylum Welcome held their first Story Guide Training Programme information session.
18 participants came from across Oxfordshire and together they joined the journey to explore the Story Museum, understand more about the training programme and about how they can be involved in Little Amal Day.
As a group, we came together and introduced ourselves to each other and in effect started to share our own stories. We learned more about the Story Museum, discovered new stories and were inspired by the different interactive story rooms that make up the Museum.
In the Whispering Wood every tree tells a story. We learned how to play Poohsticks. A couple of participants couldn’t resist picking up pencil and paper in the Enchanted Library to start creating their own ideas in words and pictures.
We discovered The Book of Hopes and chatted about how books bring hope, provide escapism and open up worlds that we have never experienced before.
We talked about the importance of being able to tell a story, relate to a story, be part of a story and how stories help us express how we feel and develop a sense of belonging and identity.
Books and stories connected us as a group, created meaning and presented us with opportunities. We shivered in the wonderful world of Narnia and some of us shared our favourite book titles.
All these worlds were visited and ideas expressed over the course of a morning. Over a shared lunch we felt inspired and excited about books and stories, we understood more about the meaning stories have in our own lives and the lives of others.
All participants were invited to sign up for the Story Guide training programme at the Story Museum which will happen over the course of three training sessions on 14th and 15th October and 5th November. Trainees will be invited to use their new story guide skills at Little Amal Day on 26th October.
We would love you to join the journey and be part of the story. Asylum Welcome and The Story Museum will be holding another Story Guide information session at the beginning of October (date to be confirmed) before the start of the training programme on 14th October. So, watch this space! Meanwhile, if you would like to take part or find out more please contact jan@asylum-welcome.org or Jumana.hokan@storymuseum.org.uk