Telling the Story
About the program
Our Telling the Story program provides opportunities for secondary students to spend time with some of the Brotherhood’s disadvantaged aged-care residents.
Each student is paired with an elderly resident and together they discuss the resident’s life story over a series of meetings. The students are responsible for recording the residents’ stories, using a medium and format of their choice. These records are treasured by residents and their families, and are very useful resources for carers.
This program has impacted very positively on students by allowing them to make a significant contribution to another person’s life and by developing a relationship with someone they might not normally encounter.
Who is eligible?
The Telling the Story program is designed for secondary school students.
Features
Through Telling the Story students have the opportunity to:
- build a relationship with a person who they would otherwise not encounter
- use their technology skills for a real-world, positive purpose
- develop an appreciation of their own lives
- provide practical assistance to a person experiencing disadvantage
- build an understanding of the need for social justice and community development
- foster leadership skills and widen their vocational horizons
- enhance their interviewing, recording, presenting and relationship-building skills.
Aged-care residents benefit from the program through:
- building a relationship with a young person who is interested in their life story
- having a recorded life story that they can refer to as their memory fades, or at the time of a significant celebration
- having a record of their life story that can be shown to new staff to assist them to build a relationship with the resident
- increasing their confidence and sense of inclusion in mainstream society
- extending their opportunity to share life experiences
- having fun.
Help us improve
We welcome feedback. Please use the online feedback form.
Contact us
For further information about Telling the Story, please contact:
Schools Engagement Consultant
Brotherhood of St Laurence
67 Brunswick Street
Fitzroy Vic. 3065
Phone: (03) 9483 1327
Mobile: 0428 882 038
Email: schools@nullbsl.org.au