Efi Spentzou, Royal Holloway University of London
The Myth and Voice Initiative: Storytelling for Communities is a cross-departmental enrichment project ran collaboratively by students and staff at Royal Holloway University of London. Aimed at schools, youth environments, community groups and other interested voluntary settings, the project comprises of a series of informal participatory workshops based on select Greek myths. We foster collective re-imaginings of ancient mythical narratives to encourage self-development, inspire active citizenship and support community-building. The experience is flexible and adaptable to a diversity of communities, their particular ambitions and special agendas. The Initiative operates as an ally to community organisations aspiring to support their programs as they strive to empower those with whom they work.
Storytelling is social capital. The myths provide motivation for young people to articulate a voice which, without being confessional, can bring to the fore their tacit knowledge and legitimate their views and experiences in the eyes of the community. Questioning powerful figures from a distant world, young people develop impactful practices and a readiness to challenge the status quo. The workshops offer young people opportunities to build relationships of trust and mutual respect as they curate and develop each other’s voices in a process of collective storytelling. And through restoring justice and care in the reimagined stories, young people experiment with models of positive language that can bolster their ability to take positive action in their own environments. Ultimately, the workshops and The Myth and Voice Initiative, in general, operate as an ally to community organisations aspiring to support their programs as they strive to empower those with whom they work.
This paper offers reflective practice on the overall ethos of inclusive care and on the processes of co-design and community building that underpin the emerging pilot collaborations of the Initiative. It also showcases the combined role of Classical myth and story telling in the engagement of young people with urgent social issues including ecological anxiety, digital security and social media, toxic masculinity, civil unrest and suggests possible next steps.