Towards an Integrated Community Care System for Wales – Storytelling workshop

The North Wales Regional Partnership Board Business Support Team attended Welsh Government’s ‘Towards an Integrated Community Care System for Wales’ event to showcase some of the projects funded by the Regional Integration Fund in North Wales.

The event was attended by representatives from the 7 Regional Partnership Boards, including board members and the supporting workforce. The regions were given the opportunity to network in a shared exhibition area, with each region showcasing some of their projects on information stands throughout the course of the day.

During the day, North Wales showcased the successes of 3 regional projects:

• North Wales Dementia Friendly Communities
• North Wales Memory Support Pathway
• iCAN

We also shared our learning and experience of the Ripple Effects Mapping evaluation method used to capture people’s stories and make sure their voices are at the heart of decision making.

Joint storytelling workshop with North Wales and Cwm Taf Morgannwg

The event provided the opportunity to deliver a Storytelling workshop alongside colleagues from Cwm Taf Morgannwg where participants were enabled to share what storytelling means to them. Here is what they said:

What storytelling means to us

The workshop allowed participants to explore ‘Magic Moments’ through the sharing of three different stories. The sharing of stories and ‘Magic Moments’ help us to learn and develop more effectively, resulting in greater impacts for individuals. Data can only tell us so much. That is why we need both, to learn from people’s stories, and with them, look at ways to create even better services in the future.

Discussion around the three stories inspired participants to identify what they felt the ‘most magic’ elements of the stories were and why they had the greatest impact. If you would like to read these stories by the Developing Evidence Enriched Practice (DEEP) Programme, you can find them below:

Some of the main themes that emerged from discussions around the three ‘Magic Moments’ and the benefits of sharing stories were:

Sometimes the smallest of things can have the greatest impact.

Taking time with individuals to listen to their stories is valuable.

Understanding life through someone else’s lens can empower change.

Adjusting to and respecting someone else’s reality is important.

What we learn from stories can restore a sense of purpose.

What did we learn?

We learnt that simply asking people about their experience is no longer good enough. The art of communication as a process means that information needs to be fed from users of services up to decision makers, and back down again. This means not just actively listening, but effectively listening, engaging all members of our partnership in a two-way dialogue that not only inspires positive change, but drives and demands it.

Colleagues from Cwm Taf Morgannwg shared their experiences of hosting a ‘Hackathon’, together with people with lived experiences and professionals to look at how they could co-produce more effectively.

A Hackathon is an innovative event where service users and service providers look at case studies, issues, and challenges that have arisen within regional work and come up with new and creative ways to overcome challenges.

Creative producers from a variety of arts, for example, music, drama, theatre and film work with participants to look at challenges from a different perspective.

If you would like to find out more about co-production Hackathons, visit Cwm Taf Morgannwg’s website.

Reflections from the workshop

At the end of the workshop, participants were asked to write a one-word reflection on the affect the workshop and the stories shared had on them. Here is what some of the participants said:

• Empowering
• Emotional
• Human Powerful
• Memorable
• Inclusive
• Understand
• Us
• Beautiful
• Connection
• Supportive

For more information regarding the storytelling workshop please contact: NWRICH@denbighshire.gov.uk