Story Studio wants children to foster deeper connections by writing and sharing their stories

This article was created for Victoria Foundation, and produced independently by Capital Daily. It was approved by Victoria Foundation before it was published.

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A crystal white dragon bursts out of a silver lamp, catching a little girl off guard. A rowdy group of beach goblins are left stranded on an island after causing mischief. The invention of a groundbreaking teleportation device lands on the front page of all the biggest newspapers.

Written by children, these mystical fairy tales are not just figments of a writer’s imagination

Writing—the act of storytelling—is an important method of communication that reaches far beyond the land of make-believe. Learning to tell a story is a journey of self-reflection that gives us insights about universal life experiences. This allows us to see the world in different ways and ultimately foster deeper relationships with ourselves and others around us.

“Storytelling is fundamentally a human act,” said Sean Rodman, Executive Director of Story Studio Society, based in Victoria.

“It's something we do innately. Neuroscience proves we operate kind of on the language of story—when you put it into perspective, it’s a critical tool,” said Rodman.

Story Studio aims to inspire, educate and empower youth to be great storytellers. It’s an award-winning organization that offers creative “fun-first” writing workshops for youth of all ages to create incredible stories. Not only do the workshops inspire creativity, they provide children with the tools they need to express themselves, forge connections with others and thrive in the world as critical thinkers.

“The vehicle of storytelling, of getting kids to tell their own story, has incredible benefits, which includes better literacy outcomes, better engagement with education, and improved mental wellness,” said Rodman.

Children of all ages can find a workshop that inspires them to write and engage with stories. For example, a Story Sprouts session focuses on interactive storytime, sensory play and musical activities that help introduce beginners to the world of reading and writing, eventually building up the skills to take part in a workshop called Tiny Tales—a six-week program that guides kids (ages 3-5) to create their very own picture book.

Programs designed for older children (ages 9-17) show there are many different ways to bring a story to life. Students design complex characters in Character Lab, a course guided by published authors to help writers experiment, refine and develop characters for their next story. A six-week Script To Screen course, with the help of industry professionals, not only teaches all about the fundamentals of screenwriting, it also offers practical advice about filmmaking such as budgeting and equipment fundamentals, giving youth all the tools they need to write and produce their very own screenplay.

Photo: Story Studio

The thought of sitting down and writing a compelling story can be intimidating to some. Story Studio finds a way to make it accessible for everyone, working through barriers like language, intellectual ability and income level to prove that anyone can write, and that everyone has their own unique story to share with the world.

“We'll go into public schools, serving under-resourced populations in particular, and we'll deliver really intensive [two-day] programming so that by the end of those two days, they've been inspired,” said Rodman, adding that with the careful guidance of professional authors, children are eventually empowered to write stories that get published. They’re bound, printed, and delivered to them as a kind of record to prove they have the ability to see their work in print.

Rodman says telling stories is how we make our future. “It's how we get our kids to handle the future that's coming to them. Having a bunch of capable storytellers who can construct their own stories, who can deconstruct the stories around them is so important, and that’s exactly what Story Studio is trying to do,” he explains.

With the ongoing support of donors like the Victoria Foundation, Story Studio wants to broaden their impact even further to reach across the province. A new project, Circle of Writers, will support more writing clubs in libraries, schools, community groups and after-school programs, even introducing exciting opportunities for children all across the country to participate in virtual courses and writing competitions.

Long-term, with enough provincial and national support, they hope to successfully create an infrastructure in Canada that supports and inspires young writers, making profound steps in their education and wellness.

To learn more about the work being done at Study Studio, and for more information on how to donate, visit the website.