Upcoming Educator and Community Member Story Circles
- If your group would like us to host a Story Circle for them, please contact us here and tell us about your group in the comment box.
- Currently we are only hosting Story Circles for groups. If you don’t have a group to register with, please contact us here and indicate that you don’t have a group. We will add you to our waitlist and try to get you in ASAP.
What is an Educator & Community Member Story Circle?
Story Circles are opportunities for small groups of people to gather together to listen and share thoughts and stories related to a common theme. No preparation is necessary and each participant has the option to share or simply listen to others. Story Circles aren’t about performing. Rather, the purpose is to listen and connect.
Educator and Community Member Story Circles are Story Circles hosted specifically for Educators and/or Community Members. The participants may not know each other or they may be a group that collaborates (through work or community) in other ways.
COVID-19 UPDATE: Beginning in spring 2020, Story Works is hosting Story Circles online through a partnership with the Alaska Humanities Forum.
More Information
Facilitators:
Story Works alumni (youth), staff, and volunteers, and Alaska Humanities Forum staff.
Time for the Story Circle:
1 hour long
Time for Story Circle + Learning about Hosting Your Own Story Circles: Story Circle + short introduction to the free “How to Host Your Own Story Circle” Toolkit: 1.5 hours
How many people typically participate in a Story Circle:
We recommend between six and twelve participants in one Story Circle. To accommodate larger groups, Story Works may be able to host simultaneous or sequential Story Circles.
Who can participate?
For the most part, these Story Circles are limited to educators and community members in Alaska. But high school and middle school English/Language Arts teachers from all over are also welcome to attend.
What happens during an Educator/Community Member Story Circle: During the hour, facilitators introduce structure and agreements, support a safe space, and invite participants to share and reflect. Individual stories are typically about 2 min long and no advance preparation is needed or expected. Note: There will be time during the Story Circle to prepare –if you do choose to share something.
What if I want to host my own Story Circles? Participants in the 1.5 hour Story Circles will be provided with access to a free toolkit with resources to help support Story Circle hosting (in person and online).
Are there funds available to support me or my organization/group if I/we host more Story Circles?
We are happy to report that Alaska-based Story Circle Participants are eligible for a $200 stipend for hosting story circles! Through our partnership with the Alaska Humanities Forum, Story Circle participants can apply for a $200 stipend to defray the costs of hosting and express our gratitude for your time and energy. Both individuals and tax-exempt organizations can apply using this online form. We do ask that groups applying for stipends have story circle participants complete a short survey, which can be previewed here. If you have any questions about the stipends, please reach out to Sarah Richmond at srichmond@akhf.org.
Have past participants enjoyed these Story Circles?
Yes! Past participants have used words like “sweet,” “amazing,”heartwarming,” and “comforting” to describe the experience. They have also noted that having youth co-facilitate the Story Circle has been “awesome” and “inspiring.”
Is space limited?
Yes, space is limited and these do fill up.
How do I register?
Please scroll up to the top of the page to see upcoming dates and registration links.
If you are interested in participating but are not able to make any of the above dates, please complete this contact form and let us know.
Who made these Story Circles possible?
The Story Circles are made possible thanks to a partnership with the Alaska Humanities Forum, excellent facilitation and input from Story Works alumni, and support from Story Works donors and the Social Justice Fund of the Alaska Community Foundation. We are also thankful to the #PeoplesStateofTheUnion project of the US Dept. of Arts and Culture for offering guidelines for bringing storytelling into the land of Zoom.
Interested in Youth Story Circles?
If you are between the ages of 15 and 21 and/or you know a youth in that age range who would like to participate in a Youth Story Circle, you can learn more about Youth Story Circles and/or register here.
Story Circle Partners and Supporters
