Read for Good hosted a Storyteller Conference on the 6th and 7th of September 2022. Typically an annual event, the conference had not been hosted in over three years due to the ongoing challenges of the pandemic. It was a real pleasure to reunite staff and storytellers together at the Read for Good HQ, to reflect on the past and look forward to the future.
Conferences can conjure up an image of delegate packs, the post-lunch slump and heading back to the office with a long list of ideas which may never see the light of day again. Not so for Read for Good’s Storyteller Conference! Not an A4 pad in sight, it’s a chance for our fabulous storytelling team to come together to share their own stories – stories full of joy, and sometimes deeply sad – but stories which all leave their mark. It’s a chance for them to learn from each other – from how to light up a children’s ward where the collective anxiety is palpable through to where to store your trusty screwdriver in case the Read for Good bookcase needs an adjustment!
Over the course of the two days, the Storytellers learnt updates from Read for Good’s programmes, and shared their best practice for safeguarding and wellbeing. Alongside the practicalities, the Storytellers had the opportunity to catch up and relax – sharing stories from their hospital visits, reflecting on changes and best practise over the last three years and exploring the language we use for storytelling and its unique magic.
Time and space were set aside to think of those we had lost over the last few years, remembering the children met in hospitals who had passed away, and sensitively exploring the grief and emotions that came along with these experiences. The Storytellers were treated to a therapeutic sound bath experience on the second day, to offer a cathartic end to the discussions.
We look forward to hosting our storytellers again next year, as they continue to be a vital and invaluable part of what Read for Good is all about.
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