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communication
Stories told together Relationships need to be based on deep

knowledge of each other and trust.
Sharing stories enables relationships to be
built naturally, and provides the
foundations for tackling difficult issues.
Through sharing stories, people with profound disabilities and One such issue raised early on was
those who communicate verbally can find out about each other loneliness, which is common in people with
learning disabilities. Mavour had a story
and build relationships, say Nicola Grove and colleagues for his memory box about how isolated he
had felt during the pandemic. Merrett,
who is a drama student, improvised
hen we recognise our own loneliness by wrapping herself in a duvet
experiences through anecdotes, and looking sad. We are also exploring
Wwe learn from each other and stories of independence and choice.
build networks. Storysharing (https:// “I really enjoyed sharing experiences
storysharing.org.uk) involves finding good with Gary and Michael, which then helped
stories we can tell together and react to, us all to tell stories together,” says
using all the communication resources Merrett. “I learnt that Gary and Michael
available to us. have many interests that they were able
It has been used to create enjoyable, to communicate and share with us. For a
meaningful reminiscence for groups of project like this to work, you need a
people with high support needs in Bigmack – and you need openness
residential homes (Harwood, 2011). and creativity.”
The idea was developed about 20 years Mavour says: “I have learned that Gary
ago after it was observed that staff told and Michael love coffee. When I met Gary
stories about and sometimes to people Talking technology: people can meet to build and Michael, I would have never thought
they cared for but rarely, if ever, with them. relationships and paired advocacy online they would like coffee. For this project to
work, you need trust and friendship.”
Growing stories dislikes, and some of these went into the Ottridge and Odonkor have said Scott
Two charities in south London – One Trust boxes, which the two Generate advocates and Jenkinson look forward to attending
(https://onetrust.co.uk) and Generate made for themselves, and One Trust staff each week – both raised arms and smiled
(https://generate-uk.org) – took part in a made with Jenkinson and Scott. when we discussed this.
project to explore how people who We wanted to uncover the stories “We have been really surprised by how
communicate non-verbally and have behind them. For example, football was a successful the storytelling together has
complex needs could tell stories together passion shared by Jenkinson and Mavour, been. It’s been such fun and we really
with those who communicate verbally. who both support Chelsea, but it got a want to do more here,” says Ottridge.
Two employees (Luke Ottridge and definite thumbs-down from Merrett, who Although the process is simple and
Josefina Odonkor) and two members (Gary had been hit in the face by a mis-kicked intuitive, it involves careful observation,
Scott and Michael Jenkinson) volunteered football and lost a tooth when she was 8. an open attitude, commitment to equality
from One Trust. From Generate, one staff At the end, we recap and make plans for and imaginative preparation.
member (Chiloshe/Chiz Kaluba) supported the following week, with staff offering With the right support, people with
two young people (Kai Mavour and Rio time and imagination to prepare, collect very high support needs can share actively
Merrett). I facilitated the group. resources, make boxes and remind the in telling stories – their own and those of
We have been meeting online each advocates of what we are doing. others. They teach us how to pause and
week for an hour since March. Recordings Often a story emerges spontaneously. value small things, like enjoying coffee.
of the meetings are used to evaluate Having a new haircut was an important We are continuing to meet, now with a
sessions and plan for the next. At the event for Scott, as looking smart is central focus on how we can reach out to others
start, the partners were given a Bigmack to his identity. A worker said his hair had to share what we have learned. n
communication aid, and sessions focused been “un-combable”. Recording this word l For more about the project or training,
on ways of communicating. We quickly on the Bigmack meant Scott could provide email info@storysharing.org.uk. Free
established a structure. the punchline to his own story (while introductory courses are available at
Sessions begin with Jenkinson checking touching his hair), which he did at the https://storysharing.thinkific.com
everyone is happy to be recorded, holding right moment then repeated, with
up an image of a record button. Next, everyone laughing in encouragement. The co-authors are Michael Jenkinson,
each partner poses a question, pre- Mavour used his Bigmack to ask: “What Chileshe Kaluba, Kai Mavour, Rio Merrett,
recorded on their Bigmacks. style would you like?” to which Scott Josefina Odonkor, Luke Ottridge and
These started as simple “What did you spontaneously replied: “Uncombable!” Gary Scott. Nicola Grove is the founder
do this week?”, but soon developed into Achieving such spontaneity is both of Storysharing
stimuli for stories: “What was the best challenging and necessary if people are to
thing that happened this week and what become accomplished co-tellers. Further reading
was the worst thing?” and “If you were an Grove N. The big book of storysharing.
Speechmark; 2014
Nicola Grove animal, what animal would you be?” Talking to build advocacy Harwood J. Storysharing project 2008-2011.
In peer or group advocacy, people with a
A main starting point was making
Final evaluation report. Open Story Tellers;
shared interest support each other.
memory boxes. We shared likes and
2011. https://tinyurl.com/yckmh9df
www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 35 No 4 | Summer 2022 25