Participatory Method
Participatory Methods with Folktale
Storytelling as a methodology understands that the process of storytelling is not just a way to understanding another person’s lived experience, but the act itself shapes meaning and can create change. The process actively shapes relationships between listeners and storytellers, and can be transformative for the storytellers themselves.
At Folktale we define story as "Telling or retelling of events or experience that follow a particular sequence and have meaning for the teller and/or the listener". Storytelling as a methodology is, by nature, a participatory approach
The stories we tell, individually and collectively, impact people’s actions and identities is in keeping with a narrative therapy approach; stories are not merely entertaining or educational, we live in and through them (White & Epston, 1990)
Examples of established storytelling methodologies include:
PhotoVoice: Photovoice has been used to investigate change in empowerment in vulnerable communities by having participants document, reflect upon and share their lived experiences, the process of which also contributes to social change.
Most Significant Change: The Most Significant Change (MSC) approach involves generating and analysing personal accounts of change and deciding which of these accounts is the most significant – and why. MSC is not just about collecting and reporting stories but about having processes to learn from these stories – in particular, to learn about the similarities and differences in what different groups and individuals value.
The Folktale platform builds on and elevates both these approaches by using structured video storytelling.