Sharing stories for learning

Storyteller Lana Woolf with Sestim Xavier from Indonesia. 181051 Picture: GARY SISSONS

New arrivals are creating a lasting legacy while brushing up on their English skills.

Our Stories is a new Greater Dandenong Libraries program that will capture invaluable stories.

It will bring together community members who want to share their stories, English tutors, professional storytellers and community groups.

Over six workshops they will produce an English learning kit, which will use personal stories to create an educational book and audio disc.

The first two workshops were with artist and educator Lana Woolf, who helped participants to start their stories.

Follow up sessions will match storywriters with readers who will record the stories for the audio disc.

The Our Stories booklet and CD will be published in time for Literacy Week in September, and a public launch will be held in Dandenong Library to celebrate the program’s completion.

An Adult Literacy Innovation Grant funded the project with State Library Victoria and Public Libraries Victoria Network support.

City of Greater Dandenong is delivering the project in partnership with Springvale Neighbourhood House, Chisholm Institute and the Social Knitwork.