The first YAC storytelling training in Serbia took place between the 2nd and the 6th of April, in Novi Sad. The training was given by Fouad Lakbir, on behalf of Stichting International Storytelling Centre and it consisted of a four-day workshop for the youth and a one-day of a Train the Trainers workshop.
The group of participants comprised six people who, on the first day, began getting to know each other through teambuilding and trust exercises, alongside a short introduction to storytelling. The following sessions were spent alternating between storytelling theory and human rights discussions. Great conversations and personal stories came out of questions such as “Was there a moment where you thought about leaving Serbia?” and “Can you tell me about a time when you felt discriminated and a time when you felt validated?”
When everyone had come up with their own story to work with, the time was dedicated to crafting their stories and coaching the participants on the structure and imaginary telling.
The 4th day was an important day: after working on their presentation skills, everyone presented the stories to each other and to a small audience. The results were beautiful and really touching and we could wrap up the workshop with the distribution of the certificates and a nice drink together.
The very last day was a bit different: it consisted of training the group in the use of storytelling training methods and tools, so that they can be the ones applying it in their communities in the future.
