Event - Collective narrative practice

Narrative Therapy Centre

P.O. Box 31030, Westney Heights RPO

15 Westney Road N.

Ajax, Ontario. Canada. L1T 3V2

Narrative Therapy Centre

Of Toronto

Thursday April 23rd 2009

Text Box: RESPONDING TO HARDSHIP: COLLECTIVE NARRATIVE PRACTICE Narrative ways of working with individuals, groups, and communities A one-day workshop facilitated by Cheryl White and David Denborough from Adelaide, Australia

Phone: 905-427-8239

Fax: 905-427-8231

E-mail: contact@narrativetherapycentre.com

RESPONDING TO HARDSHIP:

COLLECTIVE NARRATIVE PRACTICE

ABOUT THE FACILITATORS

Over the past decade Cheryl White and David Denborough have been involved in a wide range of community engagements here in Australia and overseas. They have also been involved in supporting workers in a variety of contexts and countries to develop culturally appropriate ways of responding to children and adults who have experienced significant trauma. In many contexts, counselling or therapy is not an appropriate response, hence the need for more collective and community practices. Recent teaching and community assignments have included Kuwait (to Iraqi workers who are establishing a trauma centre in Basra), Rwanda, Canada, Uganda, USA, Zimbabwe, and within a range of Australian Aboriginal communities. Cheryl White brings to this workshop a long history of engagement with feminist thought and practice. David Denborough brings a love of both the written word and song and ways that these can inform our work with individuals, family groups and communities.

RESPONDING TO HARDSHIP: COLLECTIVE NARRATIVE PRACTICE

Narrative ways of working with individuals, groups, and communities

The Dulwich Centre Foundation is pleased to announce this workshop relating to how narrative ideas can be used to respond to individuals, groups and/or communities who are experiencing hardship.

The workshop will include:

· Teaching about key principles and concepts in relation to collective narrative practice

· The introduction of a range of easy-to-engage with methodologies including: Collective narrative documents; Songs of sustenance; Collective timelines; The Kite of Life; and The Team of Life (the use of football metaphors in work with young people).

· Attention will be paid to the politics of experience and what it means to bring a feminist and collective perspective to our work as practitioners.

· Special considerations will be given to ways of responding to individuals, groups and communities who have experienced significant trauma.

WHO IS THIS WORKSHOP DESIGNED FOR?

The workshop will be suitable for those whose work involves responding to those who are experiencing hardship. It will be particularly relevant to those working with individuals who would like to find ways to link people together; those working with groups; those working with communities; and those wishing to work in collective and community orientated ways.

This workshop will be relevant for those who attended Cheryl and David’s November 2007 workshop and also newcomers to collective narrative practice.

Relevant reading

Denborough, D., Freedman, J. & White, C. (2008): Strengthening Resistance: The use of narrative practices in working with genocide survivors. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Foundation

Denborough, D. (ed) (2006): Trauma: Narrative responses to traumatic experience. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications

Denborough, D. (2009) Collective narrative practice: Responding to individuals, groups and communities who have experienced trauma. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications

Yuen, A. & White, C. (2007): Conversations about gender, culture, violence & narrative practice: Stories of hope and complexity from women of many cultures. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications