As part of the Storyliving project, the course on the use of storytelling for those working with young people with mental health disorders was piloted with 119 Greek, Italian, German, Spanish and Macedonian psychologists, personal assistants, carers, teachers, therapists, special educators, trainers, youth workers, social workers and with young people with ASD from September to December 2022. The training programme is also available online on the project website.
The training promoted the tool of storytelling as a method for processing emotions and overcoming fears, trauma and isolation related to the COVID-19 pandemic for young people (18-25) with autism and other mental health disorders. The aim was to help these young people cope with the pandemic and promote their social inclusion through storytelling.
The training programme covers the impact of the pandemic, the tools for digital storytelling, how to use the methodology of storytelling and digital storytelling and how to guide children in telling their own story.
The feedback from the participants was very positive, reflecting the problem that they do not work much with digital tools and that this is often new territory for them. They emphasised that they found the new approach to dealing with and managing experiences very innovative and that it would give them new opportunities for creative work. They also felt that this form of coping would be particularly appropriate for some young people who are reluctant to express themselves verbally.
The participants found the course very educational and interesting. They undoubtedly have clearer ideas about how to use the storytelling method to promote the inclusion process of pupils with disabilities. According to one of them, “The ideas and suggestions were a valuable source of inspiration to be used in a creative, original and didactically appropriate way”.
