Calling the storytellers of tomorrow
Join our four-month mentorship programme designed to unlock your storytelling potential and open doors for your future. Open to anyone aged 16-24 within the Bradford District.
Stories are powerful and learning the art of storytelling is a skill that will help you in many areas of life. Taking someone’s life story and producing a written article that engages an audience is highly rewarding.
We’d like to show you how.
Who’s it for?
Anyone from the Bradford district aged 16-24 who has a passion to tell human stories from the area.
If I’m successful, what’s involved?
- The programme will run from mid-April to mid-July
- Attendance at 3 x in-person half day training sessions on the 19th April, 26th April and 30th May
- Assignments from in-person training sessions
- Attendance at 2 x real life story interviews during May and June
- Time and commitment to write up your own people library story within specified deadlines
- Access to your own camera or smartphone to take photos.
- Access to a computer/tablet/smartphone and internet to write up your stories and access online mentoring sessions.
- Celebration meal with your fellow students once stories have been published
What’s on offer?
An opportunity for three successful candidates to be mentored over a period of 4 months by a professional storyteller, culminating in your own published story and photographs.
This programme is run by Stronger Communities and the stories will contribute to our People Library project, a collection of ‘human books’ highlighting the many things we have in common as human beings, as well as celebrating our differences.
You will learn storytelling structure, interview techniques, writing process, theme finding, portrait photography, how to engage an audience and honour a life with your writing.
The mentorship programme will be delivered through a mixture of in-person and online coaching sessions, the opportunity to be involved in capturing a story, as well as finally interviewing your own subject.
This is a unique opportunity for anyone wanting to pursue a future in storytelling and will give you skills and experience to take into your future.
Who’s the mentor?
Tom Harmer is a Bradford-based storyteller and film producer, with a passion to capture real-life meaningful stories that impact the world. He has been working with the Stronger Communities team for two years now.
As a storyteller, Tom seeks to uncover the heart of humanity within every project, and believes that true treasure on earth is found in people - we are surrounded by beauty in our families, communities and those we brush shoulders with in our day-to-day lives.
Storytelling invites us to value, appreciate and find common ground with those around us, sharing our individual journeys and experiences is how we connect, learn and grow.
You can read some of Tom’s People Library work here or watch his films here.
How do I apply?
You must live in the Bradford district and be aged between 16-24.
Complete this application form by the 20th March 2023.
Candidates will be chosen based on their answers to the short assignment within the application form and ensuring that the group chosen is diverse.
What about my travel expenses?
Travel expenses can be re-claimed up to a total cost of £50.
Any other questions?
Email one of our Bradford for Everyone team members at stronger.communities@bradford.gov.uk.