Project Result: Framework for youth workers on the use of storytelling, cultural heritage, and environmental restoration in island communities
6th August 2024
We are delighted to announce the publication of our first project result, a guide for youth workers based on the training, research and exchange of experience and expertise undertaken by our partnership in the first year of our project. The document is intended to share the theoretical, methodological and practical contexts of our work with young people, while inspiring new conversations about the use of ecoculturalism, storytelling and the celebration of heritage with young people. Our primary focus is on the unique settings of island communities, but the framework is transferable and applicable to youth work in diverse settings.
The document begins by laying out the key themes and theoretical frameworks, emphasising the role of storytelling in supporting intergenerational and intercultural connections and revitalising cultural heritage through an ecocultural lens. We explore perspectives from our partnership, reflecting on the opportunities and challenges of their island communities and considering commonalities and differences between islands across Europe.
Agatha Rodi of Kimolistes considers more deeply the transformative power of storytelling in nurturing community bonds and identity, and we foreground practical examples from initiatives like Cine Kalisperitis on Kimolos Island, illustrating how cultural activities can promote environmental awareness and sustainability.
The Framework includes contributions from the European Students’ Association for Cultural Heritage (ESACH), highlighting the active role of young people in heritage advocacy and education and stressing the importance of community and collaboration in addressing broader heritage and environmental challenges. We also consider new media and the development of digital storytelling, and outline our innovative training pathways for the engagement of young people and the building of sustainable communities.
Our aim is to provide youth workers and educators with adaptable tools and ideas that enhance the relevance and impact of their work within and beyond island communities, while exploring the interconnectedness of culture and nature, people and place.
