WHILE FOOD MAKES US LIVE, STORIES ARE WHAT MAKE OUR LIVES WORTH LIVING.
Richard Kearney
THE PROJECT
Digging For Inner Gold
Gold! Everyone has it inside themselves; it's their mental strength, resilience and talents. Some people wear their strengths clearly for all to see, as if they are shining around their necks, or their wrists and fingers. With some you have to make some effort, get closer, maybe dig a bit, before you get to see it. There are people for whom the gold is deeply hidden, they were knocked down and were unable to pick themselves up, lost their self-esteem and became socially disenfranchised. Sometimes the gold is buried so deep some people stopped believing they ever had any.
Sharing Stories To Empower
Europe is facing a growth in the number of people on the verge of social exclusion or already disconnected from society. Many of them think that their story doesn't matter, that they don't matter. They don't have or can't find the tools to combat these thoughts and connected feelings.
The partners in this project believe that these people matter and that everyone's story matters. Applied storytelling helps people to realise their inherent tools and know how to use them.
Being able to express oneself well and being heard contributes to one's self-esteem; that telling a story, however simple, enhances a person's capacity for self-reflection and self-awareness.
Our Objective
The Aurus project has developed a transferable and accessible toolkit for social sector professionals. The toolkit uses a innovative storytelling approach to help professionals support those experiencing or at risk of experiencing social exclusion.