Tell me a story by Anne E Stewart
I’ve always had an innate understanding of the power of story to
engage and I started developing my digital storytelling skills when the
Government announced the roll out of the National Broadband Network (NBN). For
me, it seemed like a huge opportunity to use storytelling to create online
communities, share cultures and facilitate people telling their own stories
about the things that matter most to them.
My love of storytelling began when I was working as children’s
librarian at the Darwin Library. I wanted to share my passion for language and
literature and I worked with the premise that the stories I told were
springboards to further reading and learning. Through my work I have come to
understand that storytelling is also a powerful way to promote cultural
understanding, raise issues of social justice and help identify and document a
united Australian Story.
I’ve had the chance to use digital platforms to tell and share some
amazing stories. The first project, funded by VicHealth, was to promote
the value of the arts in engaging in rural communities, in this case the farming families that lived near the
Mollongghip Hall in the Central Highlands of Victoria. It was a moving
experience, hearing of a way of life that has passed and paying respect to the
elders of a small community. Storytelling has put me in contact
with people with different skills, talents
and passion and I’ve had the
chance to share in storytelling festivals around the world.
The need for digital storytelling is increasing and many
organisations recognise the value that stories bring to a project and region.
Stories are a way of connecting people, joining the dots and sharing our
motivations. So if the NBN further enables this sharing of stories, information
and ideas then I’m ready for high-speed broadband!
For some though, the wait of the NBN is off putting and for those
not digitally engaged, it’s just another cost. The idea of a fairer
telecommunications system is welcomed as we hurtle towards more digital lives,
but for the NBN to reach its potential it needs to be seen as a strategic asset
and not just another form of technology.
So here’s a strategy from a storyteller. Engage people with
technology through story, then show them how to use it as a tool to improve
other areas of their lives. As a storyteller, I want to see the NBN as
Songlines of Stories across Australia, sharing the stories of our communities.
I’d love to see a virtual map of Australia told through stories.
The NBN needs to engage artists to help imagine the possibilities.
Across Australia we need collaboration between local organisations and funding
bodies, working together to see artists bringing communities alive online. If
the NBN is to be amazing, we need to offer a variety of entry and engagement
points online for people from all walks of life. Storytelling is a great way of
achieving this and it’s up to us to dream it up.
Got a story to tell?
There are endless amounts of online tools for telling your story.
Here some tools to get you started:
•
Video sharing – Film your story
and share it online, as well as with your local
community. You don’t need expensive equipment, most mobile phones and laptops
have inbuilt cameras which can help you record your story. Youtube videos can
be embedded on websites, in emails and on social mediahttp://www.youtube.com
•
Photo sharing – Photo sharing
sites like Instagram or Flickr, allow you to upload and share images between
networks. This can be a great way to share what’s happening in your life with
your friends and family overseas.
•
Blogs - blogging is the
original, free online storytelling device. This article helps you decide which
of the top five platforms is right for you http://www.techhive.com/article/2025931/which-free-blogging-platform-is-right-for-you-.html
•
Webinars – does your
organisation have information to share or expert advice? You can use webinars
to turn the internet into an online classroom or forum.
(Anne is a life member of Storytelling Australia (Victoria))
