Empowering Youth Through Greek Myth Storytelling Workshops

A GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION PROJECT MYTH AND VOICE: STORYTELLING RELATIONSHIPS SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT AS ACTIVE AND EMPATHETIC CITIZENS AND ADVOCATES OF A TOLERANT AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY. A COMMUNITY OF STORYTELLERS: MENTORING AND COPRODUCTION STUDENTS AND STAFF FROM THE DEPARTMENTS OF CLASSICS AND DRAMA AT ROYAL HOLLOWAY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON COCREATE ROLE PLAY AND STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS FOR SCHOOLS AND OTHER YOUTH SETTINGS. WORKSHOP PROGRAM ENABLING SUPPORTED, IMAGINARY AND EMPATHETIC SPACES FOR COMMUNAL STORIES AND RETELLINGS TRIGGERED BY GREEK MYTHICAL STORYLINES.

The program offers informal and interactive role play and storytelling workshops based on select Greek myths. What do we do? The workshops invite young people to form communities of storytelling as they explore, re-imagine, and retell together these fictional storylines. We mentor and support older students to be the leaders and facilitators of adapted workshops for their younger peers, a successful recipe for strengthening a Whole School Approach that encourages critical reflection on healthy and supportive relationships.

Benefits of a narrative approach: building an inclusive experience This safe distance of the fictional narrative encourages participation by reducing the risk of particular groups/individuals feeling targeted or alienated. Participants engage with challenging topics with strong contemporary resonance through fictional role play and storytelling.

Story-led work promoting healthy, respectful relationships We can offer to secondary school Y7-Y13 children and other interested youth groups age-appropriate Myth and Voice workshops based on carefully selected Greek myths that will invite the children to model characters and encounters, and think about emotions, power and exploitation in relationships of all forms and kinds. Our mentoring program supports older students to bring the workshops to their younger peers, encouraging those vertical engagements across school communities. We can offer especially tailored workshops to interested family communities associated with a school. Select stories also touch on broad issues such as, for example, intergenerational conflict, ecological responsibility, citizenship and civil unrest, consumerism and environmental decline. We can support and train teachers and group leaders to deliver Myth and Voice workshops themselves with the help of appropriate resources that we can offer.

The workshops map well within Personal, Social Health and Economic Education programs, as fun, fictional spaces for all characters and personalities to engage with important issues and relationships without the need to express personal opinions. How does Myth and Voice fit in school curricula, in particular? The workshops are also imaginative co-curricular enrichment activities for departments or subjects such as, for example, English, Drama, Politics, Psychology, Ethics and Philosophy. Workshops are discussed in advance with teachers or other community leaders, who can work within appropriate and existing safeguarding guidelines.

How does Myth and Voice fit in school life? The workshops can be offered during or after school. Each workshop can last between 1.00 and 1.30 hours and duration/type is decided in consultation with individual schools and teachers. We can offer single events or a series of workshops in school hours or after school. Can also be offered within extra- curricular settings such as, 6th Form enrichment afternoon, or in a debate, oracy, creative writing, politics club, or storytelling, drawing, animation caf etc . The workshops can be imaginative cocurricular additions supporting particular topics in various Humanities subjects across the school.

An experience for many tastes Catering for different competences through combination of small group exchange, group reps, town hall type meetings. Helping hands create a comfortable environment for all participants. Activities suitable for quieter as well as talkative personalities. Non-verbal forms of engagement encouraged through crafting and spatial/kinaesthetic interaction. Workshop tools and techniques are appropriate to age, group size, group make up and context of delivery. They include Role on the Wall, Frame Freeze, Thought Tracking, Thinking Buddies, Story Circles, Reflective Craft Spaces. There are opportunities for follow-on free writing or other creative expression for those who wish to use their voice in this way.

Building Trust, Building Relationships practice empathetic thinking as they try to get into the shoes of the mythical strangers cultivate mutual respect through creative games based on active listening of each other In the Workshops, young participants are encouraged to integrate their voices and thoughts into communal forms of expression experience a community of purpose by sharing ownership of the co- created new stories.

Thinking People -- Thinking Relationships imagine alternative pasts, presents, and futures of individuals and the ways these might be achieved. model emotions, motives, desires, ambitions etc for their fictive protagonists Working creatively with the select myths, young participants explore affection, respect, consent, boundaries in imaginary relationships of any kind. model successful relationships and analyse toxic ones.

Caring Youngsters -- Healthy Relationships Myth and Voice program aspires to support young people experience trust and belonging in emotional and relational communities. Active listening contributes to turning a yes but attitude to a yes and inclusive mode of being with others. By digging into the make- up of the mythical stories, young participants can also become more critical of stories and language used around them. Modelling fairer outcomes in the fictive stories, can bolster the youngsters motivation to take positive action in their own environments.

Let us be an Ally Flexible experience. Adaptable to a diversity of communities and their needs/agendas/age-range. An ally in support of community-building and citizenship programs promoting healthy relationships. To discuss how Myth and Voice can support the goals and vision of your group or organisation and get involved in this community of story tellers please email Efi at efi.spentzou@rhul.ac.uk.