"There is no change greater than a community discovering what it cares about."  Meg Wheatley

 "Stories of place do not simply mirror reality; they are subjective accounts of personal

 interaction with, and perceptions of, the environment, society and economy.  It is

these interactions and perceptions that indicate past and present sustainable or

unsustainable relationships, and thus provide the basis and means for analysis of

future sustainable directions of change. The many and diverse regional stories

must be told and listened to before they can be weaved and transformed into a new

regional story, and before a region can imagine a new and sustainable way into the future.

"Realising and celebrating a sense of place encourages active citizenship and builds social

capital, which is essential for the sustainability of a region, and provides a secure

foundation for approaching the future. It could also be a powerful vehicle for

reconciliation, with differing groups realising that they are linked by the same sense

of concern for and attachment to a region. The rationale is that without a strong sense of place, and subsequent sense of identity  and belonging, you cannot begin to seek social justice or environmental change. Sense of place can be a powerful force in shaping development if it can be facilitated."

K. Longley, 2002, Stories for Sustainability, Sustainability Forum, Perth

I.  Drawing from the Object Exercise, what can we say about STORYTELLING and STORIES? 

What do they each offer? 

How do they complement one another?

How do they contribute to the H & S Planning Initiative?

II. Engaging the Community in Storytelling

Whose stories do you need to hear? 

Who needs to tell stories?  Who needs to have their story told? 

Who is most likely to participate, who not?  Why? 

Ensuring inclusivity--hearing all sides, allowing a range of story types beyond the project's scope

Locating community "change agents," hubs, gatekeepers and pulsetakers

 (See Flipchart)

II. Additional Challenges with Storytelling

Time:  planning well

Finding and training catchers

Deciding what to do with the stories, how to move them to action

Permissions & Issues with extracting information/values

 III.  Kinds of Stories : Past, Present, Future

(See flipchart)

IV.  Kinds of Storytelling Situations/From solo to participatory storytelling

V.  An Overview of Storytelling in Rural Communities