PADSIP POSITIVE AGEING DIGITAL STORYTELLING INTERGENERATIONAL PROJECT

1. PADSIPPOSITIVE AGEING DIGITAL STORYTELLINGINTERGENERATIONAL PROJECT Mark Silver Social Worker Uniting Aged Care Melbourne Community Care Elgin St. Centre & Moorfields Oakleigh Rehabilitation Programs

2. PADSIP involves: Older Persons (many with a disability from local area around Hawthorn, Kew) & Local High School students (Year 9s from Hawthorn Secondary College) Meeting together & sharing experiences & stories & Producing Digital Stories

3. The Digital Storytelling Approach Intersection between: Multi-media technology Storytelling ideas Therapeutic processes

4. Social Work Identity & agency Processes Relationships, People within contexts Connecting & Reconnecting Building stronger communities,

5. Digital Storytelling “The cultural roots of storytelling are about how life values are incorporated in the honouring of the passage of life events” “Story is learning, celebrating, healing & remembering” - Joe Lambert Director of Centre of Storytelling

6. Narrative Therapy Re-storying the way people interpret their lives Linking their life events with stories Discovering the driving values that lie behind them Externalising issues Duality of experience

7. The “Therapeutic” Elements As well as sharing, listening & the retelling of stories, the process of discovering and researching stories can be projects and activities that can be “therapeutic” in themselves.

8. Horizontal & Vertical Connections Horizontal - with each other & the community Vertical - with the past & values - Connecting & building a stronger identity through developing significant & meaningful historical, intergenerational, social and personal connections 

9. The Power of Stories Stories can be powerful and empowering. Through them people can link together with others and with the things that they value and give meaning to.

10. The Older Participants Often defined by their age & disability Services segregated with other older people Facing losses Feeling marginalized, isolated Being devalued The project offers an opportunity to be part of a community, feeling valued and giving as well as receiving

11. The Students Facing struggles of entering adulthood Welcome nurturing opportunities Need to build confidence Connect with larger community Lots of ideas & skills to offer This project offers opportunities for positive encouragement experiences & learning about relationships in the wider community.

12. Let’s meet together to learn, heal, celebrate, remember ……………………and have fun

13. Why Digital Storytelling Audio-visual Focus helpful as starting point - especially photos Versatile & adaptable Achievable structure - “doable” Equalizing exchange of learning - technology vs experience Have record that can be kept - something to show

14. Why the Intergenerational Approach? Meets needs of both groups well Can learn different things from each other Breaks stereotypes Misconceptions about youth & old age Common bonds stronger than differences Individual differences larger than group differences

15. The Perfect Partnership The School - total commitment Uniting Aged Care Elgin St. - essential support Empathy & understanding of individual needs Transport Resources - Volunteers & ACMI & Technology

16. Components Getting to know each other: Understanding disability, ageing Student issues Building relationships Skill development: Listening, interviewing, computers, Storywriting, digital storytelling construction Group Processes: - (Story circle) Having impact upon others Being valued & acknowledging in public setting

17. How did it work Information launch -introduction to idea Ongoing Meetings - regular weekly meetings over 6 months The Production Process -Fascination of new technology and exchange of ideas Launch of DVD - 12 stories & documentary Resource Group - looking at development of project

18. The Documentary Record of process Learning by student involved Opportunity to reflect Sense of pride

19. The Launch Acknowledgment of all those involved Celebration - sense of achievement Showcase to Community & Families/friends Building sense of community

20. Building Strong bonds The growing dialogue between the older and younger participants was very moving and intriguing with plenty of opportunities for exchange of stories and ideas in an evolving atmosphere of trust and friendship

21. Benefits for Older Participants Developed connections with students and each other Felt valued, acknowledged & recognized as people first not defined by age or disability Pride in having meaningful impact on others Have a story for family/group/community

22. Positive Outcome for Students Connecting with others Learning about themselves Opportunity to care and give to others Receiving “unconditional positive regard” Learning more about life and about relationships

23. Impact on Organizations School Had positive affect on student performances Benefits across the school Elgin St. Successful program for enhancing wellbeing Well received throughout organization Raised profile of School & Elgin St.

24. Community Gains Idea of Positive ageing strengthened Building intergenerational communication DVDs as valuable resource Value of storytelling ideas gaining support

25. Achievements Foster community & social connectedness Respecting differences across generations Developing ways of communicating across diversity Positive images of Ageing & Disability Significant & meaningful connections were made across vertical & horizontal dimensions: - historical, intergenerational, social & personal 

26. Evaluation Comments: Successful project idea - good model -It works & isn’t rocket science Need for Storytelling Resource Centres -Local - those wanting to tell stories linked with those who can assist Project continues in 2008 ………………….. And beyond (:-)

27. Storytelling in Aged Care Settings Storytelling has involved different types and genres: Digital stories Written: memoirs, life stories, storybooks Audio-visual formats Oral Histories Posters Reminiscence Groups Combinations of these.

28. Why are Stories Important Therapeutic benefits & power of stories eg Lifebooks, Narrative approaches Fostering vertical & horizontal connections Re-membering Bearing witness & acknowledging “thickening” positive connections Emphasizing duality of experience – balance between positive & negative aspects “ trauma vs survivor experience”

29. Where has Storytelling worked Trauma Sexual abuse Chronic Illness Disability Palliative care & life threatening illnesses Connection from Private Domain into the Public Arena Disenfranchised grief Getting stories into the community Linking words and people Isolated Aged Care Youth Migrants Mental Health issues

30. The Importance of Group Processes Gaining meaning through sharing eg loss Establishing connections “Normalizing” experience Strength through support Issues become separated from the person and can be managed together in a mutual fashion

31. Ideas for Uniting Care Residential Settings Admission - books, journals, photos, groups During major life events - story tributes Community Settings Activity groups - storytelling workshops Group programs - specific: - history, theme based disability focus Intergenerational projects Resource Centres - Skills & technology