Digital Storytelling: Representing Older People Tricia Jenkins Director – DigiTales Ltd PhD Candidate – Middlesex University MeCCSA 2015: Generations Northumbria University, 7-9 January 2015

Outline 1.What is Digital Storytelling? 2.Older People – what do we mean? 3.Case Study: Extending Creative Practice 4.Silver Stories – work in progress 5.Miss Longlegs of Newburn.

Some Definitions A short, first person video narrative created by combining recorded voice, still and moving images and music or other sounds. Lambert (2006)

Some Definitions “Digital Stories – when properly done – can be tight as sonnets: multimedia sonnets from the people.” Daniel Meadows (2000) Capture Wales Source: Capture Wales BBC

Process: Story Circle

Getting Digital

What is Digital Storytelling For? Philosophically…. Mission - Center for Digital Storytelling To promote the value of story as a means for compassionate community action. We partner with organisations around the world to develop programmes which support individuals in rediscovering how to listen to each other and share first person stories. Our group process and the stories that emerge serve as effective tools for change amidst a world of technology and media overload. Funders’ perspective- outcomes

As the number of ageing persons grows, commercial and political entities are increasingly urging them to adopt certain lifestyles. If ageing persons don’t want to be pressured into adopting such lifestyles, they need to raise their voices in refusal. Jan Baars, Ageing and the Art of Living, (2012).

Age Narratives “We have been blamed for every social and moral blight, from housing and fiscal crises to environmental pollution, while also being held responsible for all the insecurities, moral laxities and any other imputed fears, anxieties or vices of the generation we reared”. Segal (2013, p47).

Giving Voice and the Role of Story “A system that provides formal voice for its citizens but fails so markedly to listen exhibits a crisis of political voice”. Nick Couldry (2010)

A research question… and some practice What are the benefits of digital storytelling with older people – both active older people and those who are living with dementia or other ‘age related’ conditions? Of what value are the stories?

We know this works……

Extending Creative Practice Partners Digitales Ltd (UK) Progress Foundation (Romania) Mitra (Slovenia) Laurea University of Applied Science (Finland) Centre for Urban and Community Research (CUCR) (Goldsmiths, University of London) – evaluators.

Marriage in the Middle of Ruins – Storyteller: Anisora Stamante

Long-term investment in Digital Storytelling 12 trainers in Romania were trained. 41 librarian trainers/digital storytelling facilitators in Romania’s County libraries Over 400 trained in Romania’s rural libraries In Finland, Laurea’s social work students all take a digital storytelling module

Silver Stories Partnership – University of Brighton UK (Lead) Digitales Ltd UK CUCR UK (Evaluation) Laurea University of Applied Science (Finland) Mitra (Slovakia) Digital Storylab (Denmark) Trapezio (Portugal) Instituto Polytéchnico de Leiria (Portugal)

‘Agora vou para o lar’ – ‘And now I go to the nursing home’

Digital voice, digital identity, digital presence? “Does having an online presence itself become expected of well- functioning citizens?” Couldry, (2010) “..parallel acts of listening …… need to occur if we are to hear, value and respond to people’s self-documented lives and experiences”. Matthews and Sunderland (2013)

Miss Longlegs of Newburn by Joan Philipson

Thank you for Listening! er-stories Contact: