‘OUR STORY OUR PEACE’ Storytelling course at Rural College

Since September 2009, the Rural College has embarked on a 3 year journey to use storytelling and creative writing to improve understanding within and between communities in Northern Ireland. This programme has been funded by International Fund for Ireland and Peace 111 and is free to participants.

We hope to train around 70 participants to facilitate stories between others, so that individuals and groups can tell their stories and listen to others’ stories about their experience of living in Northern Ireland and the border counties during 40 years of conflict. The course will explore the art of storytelling and creative writing, as well as how we can use this within community development and peacebuilding work.

Participants can then apply this learning to share and record their communities’ experiences of living in a divided society and to find positive ways to improve relationships within and between communities. We will facilitate up to 10 communities over the three years to tell their stories, and to publish or display them.

If you are already working in peace building, community relations or community development, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity, and you want to learn a new skill and look at new ways to bring people together, why not contact us now and we’ll help you to decide if this is for you.

The programme is open to anyone over 18 years of age and each 6 -10 week course can take up to 20 participants. The course is accredited by NUI Galway.

The next course starts at The Rural College and Derrynoid Centre on Saturday 6th November 2010 and every other Saturday till 19th February 2011. Closing date for applications is 29th October 2010 so please contact us now for more information.

For Information and application forms:
Tel: 0287 962 9100
E mail: frances@ruralcollege.co.uk
The Rural College and Derrynoid Centre,
Derrynoid Road, Draperstown, BT45 7DW
www.derrynoid.co.uk