Here’s a cribsheet I wrote to remind me of what to say at the beginning of the first day of our three-day digital storytelling workshops around Wales:
- Fire drill
- Beware of tripping on cables.
- I’d let people know that I’ve written each person’s name on a PostIt on each computer. Planning the seating is something we didn’t leave to chance.
- Remind people to take regular screen breaks, change their seating position, be comfy…
- Let people know where toilets are
- Let people know start and end times and times of refreshment breaks.
- Ask people to drink and eat away from the computer please.
- Introduce trainers, storytellers, newcomers (at start of subsequent sessions) and any observers/researchers.
- Try to allay fears.
- Run through the process and timetable.
- Invite people to bring family and friend to the final screening
Then, begin the workshop with introductions.
Thanks to Karen Lewis for her input to this. There’s more by Carwyn Evans about briefing participants here and here’s an article on helping people to start on their story by Gilly Adams.
Written and first published by Gareth Morlais on 23 June 2009