Digital Stories released

A new set of digital stories from Devizes has been published to the web. Eight stories produced by local people combining ancient storytelling skills with creative digital technology.

here's a sample story

The people who created their digital stories have been unanimous in their praise for the programme, for some it has been a life changing experience:

"I am 100% more wiser on my heritage, my abilities, computers and my career direction"

"Technology has moved on so much that I am out of my depth and struggling. This course helped me regain my confidence. The content allowed access to tools which were unavailable to me in the past. It is also of intellectual interest rather than a set of teaching exercises which makes the whole experience more meaningful."

Devizes Stories was an experiment in transforming adult and community education funded via NIACE through the Adult and Community Learning Fund. Each cycle of workshops set out to explore ways of supporting education and training around a specific local project. A series of four workshops on each cycle successfully engaged a range of people from different communities in the town, the delivery team hope to continue working directly with those groups to develop the initiative. The programme has already spun off a social media and networking workshop which is proving popular with local businesses.

The stories celebrate diversity and community in this market town set at the cross roads of England. From the story of a survivor of domestic violence to memories of seaside holidays, Devizes is beginning to reveal its many faces and many stories The project has brought together people born in distant places to tell of strange coincidences that brought them to the town. The project has uncovered tales of romance and loneliness, people emerging from depression and reconciling themselves with their past, have all come to tell their stories.

Digital storytelling, social networking and social media was supported and delivered by Richard White and Tim Fernandez from Creative Wiltshire. The Adult and Community Learning Fund was launched last year to help make the Big Society a reality and contribute to the Government's aspirations for Informal Adult and Community Learning.

another sample story

View all the Devizes Stories here: Creative Wiltshire Devizes Stories

For more information
about the project check out the wiki: http://devizesstoriesshared.wikispaces.com/

For more information
about adult and community education in Devizes: http://www.wiltshire.ac.uk/centres/devizes/