“Imagination disposes of everything; it creates beauty, justice, and happiness, which are everything in this world.”
Blaise Pascal, French Philospher, c.1650
KidsOut has long recognised the huge amount of fun and happiness that can be derived from the creative use of imagination and in the power of telling a really good story.
For years, our charity has been funding professional storytellers to entertain and bring light and laughter into the lives of disadvantaged children – from those in special needs schools to children’s hospices.
Building on this enrichment, the KidsOut storytelling programme now includes tailored workshops that train workers and carers of vulnerable and life limited children to create and tell stories that encourage the development of children’s imaginations and which help to spread happiness to the children in their care.
The workshops aim to develop further skills, such as guided imagery which helps children with life limiting conditions, and their siblings, cope with anxiety, death and bereavement.
Guided Imagery is a fantastic skill that enables a trained storyteller (or a person looking after ill children) to guide them into an imaginary place that they have developed together through the powerful techniques of storytelling. At times of anxiety, such as before treatment, a child can be guided back into their imagination to their chosen place of calm and happiness. This technique not only brings great levels of happiness to a child but is also proven to reduce stress and therefore improve their response to treatment.
In addition to our own workshops which are run by qualified and accredited Storytelling professionals, we are also working with other groups of people who work with disadvantaged children who would benefit from our training programmes, such as the highly acclaimed Storybook Dads project.
For more information about our Storytelling programmes please contact KidsOut on 01525 385252 or e-mail kidsout@kidsout.org.uk.