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Learn to Write your own Stories of Change: Online Story-Writing Class

Tue Mar 9, 14:00 - Tue Mar 23, 17:00

Event is online

ABOUT

The Barefoot Guide Connection presents:

AN ONLINE CLASS IN 3 SESSIONS


Do you have a good social change story to tell? This is an online writing class for people who have been involved in social change processes who have good stories and insights to share and who want to learn to write these down in ways that capture their rich reality and meaning.


A Class in Three Sessions

The class will be in 3 sessions on Zoom of 3 hours each, 1 week apart. You will need to spend about 2 hours between each class reworking your story.


N.B. the times are in GMT - go to the Timezone Converter to find the time where you live.


SESSION ONE - 9 March '21 - 12 noon to 3pm GMT

A step-by-step process to write your first draft of about 800 words, using the Outside/Inside Story free-writing technique. You will then work with and polish your draft offline before the next session.


SESSION TWO - 16 March '21 - 12 noon to 3pm GMT

You will read your draft to three peers to get valuable feedback, using a powerful listening approach (head/heart/feet) to add depth to the feedback to incorporate into your next draft. And give them feedback too. We will also introduce you to the Action Learning Cycle reflection method to enable you to draw valuable insights, learnings and implications for future practice to include in your draft.


SESSION THREE - 23 March '21 - 12 noon to 3pm GMT

You will get peer feedback on your second draft focused on the Action Learning Cycle. Further support to improve your beginnings and endings and stylistic improvements will also be given.


Optional further support

We can offer further editorial coaching and support by email for those who need it of up to 2 hours (essentially coaching through detailed written feedback on your drafts).


Writer's Guide

We will provide you with a comprehensive and helpful Writer's Guide, full of practical advice to finetune your writing pieces. 


Your facilitators

  • Doug Reeler has facilitated Barefoot Guide Writeshops and provided coaching and editing support for writers for the past ten years. He also practices as an organisation and practice development facilitator with Tamarind Tree Associates.
  • Beulah Tertiens-Reeler has taught writing to teachers for many years and facilitated several Barefoot Guide writeshops, off and online. 


Course Fee

For the 3 Writeshops:  60 euros / R1000

Optional: for 2hrs personal coaching and editorial support via detailed written feedback:  30 euros / R500


What previous participants have said about this course


“During the writeshop I experienced my story coming alive and communicating directly to my audience. The direct and honest feedback from my peers helped the story to get even more on purpose.”

 

“Such a simple process, yet so profound. Absolutely loved it. Can't wait for the next session. I feel like the next Jane Austen.”

 

“This course has stretched and deepened how I think about what I write.”

 

“If you're a left-brainer, just do this course. Even if you don't particularly need to write anything, although it would be best if you did. It shakes you up and resettles you in a better way!”


Our Experience 

The method developed by the Barefoot Guide Connection during the past ten years has culminated in a wide array of eight Barefoot Guides, articles, reports, blogs written by communities of practice in social change fields like health, environment, organisational change, agroecology and inclusion. Most of the hundreds of people we have supported to write stories from their own rich experience had never imagined they could write something worth publishing. But they have and so can you.


Our approach

We facilitate enjoyable processes to help participants to overcome their writers’ block and to use the writing process itself to reflect and learn. This also helps those involved in monitoring and evaluation to develop a deeper learning dimension in their practice.??