My Place My Space

Tuesday 16th November, 2021

By Sam Norwood, Founder, Write Back

“I am a lonely pilgrim – who is not only searching for enlightenment but searching to find the true meaning of her life.  While I have embarked on this journey, I have begun to understand how we must appreciate nature. As I have sat here in serenity, I have learnt to cherish the stillness of the greenery that is stood in front of me. I have learnt to cherish the sound of chirping birds; I have learnt to treasure the fanciful trees that rustle in the wind and the miniature insects that lurk within them. It is calm, it is harmonious.

This park brings me peace. The abbey brings me peace. Nature brings me peace.”

Young Storyteller on the Write Back programme.

Stories have a somewhat paradoxical power: they can transport us into a new world and simultaneously make us reappraise our own reality with fresh eyes. In the last two years this quality has taken on a new importance. Lockdowns, travel restrictions and the limiting of our physical horizons has only increased the appeal of escapism. At the same time, the periods of relative confinement have given ample time to re-evaluate the places that we previously took for granted. 

Working with Stay Home Stories, at Write Back we have seen how this can play out in the imaginations of young people. The talented teenagers we work with in Barking and Dagenham have written incredible stories inspired by the locations that have shaped them.  These stories offer a powerful case for the importance of parks and public spaces in giving everyone (and especially young people) places to reflect, escape from stress and find creative inspiration. You can find these pieces here and explore for yourself Barking and Dagenham through their eyes: www.write-back.org/on-the-map 

Write Back is a registered charity that works to build self-esteem among young people through storytelling so the collaboration with Stay Home Stories has been incredibly exciting. 

In particular, we have been so fortunate to work with Dr Jacqueline Waldock from the University of Liverpool. Her enthusiasm for the stories of the young people transformed a small local initiative into an exciting participant in the prestigious national Being Human Festival. Alongside organising everything, she also introduced the storytellers to the concept of ocular-centricity, and you’ll find her influence in the rich descriptions of sound, taste, smell and touch that are now vital features of these stories. We are so fortunate that our storytellers could learn from her.

Dr Waldock then connected us to the wonderful film makers, Eithne Nightingale and Mitch Harris, who made it possible for the young people to turn their individual stories into a beautiful collective film: My Place My Space. At Write Back we always hope that every young person can see the value of their own story and the power of their own voice. The way Eithne and Mitch involved the storytellers in the creative process and the stunning end-product they have created is such a powerful example of this.

We are also delighted that the stories of these young people will find a place in the collections of the Museum of the Home where so many incredible stories of space and place have been catalogued and displayed.

As you read or hear these stories, we hope you’ll enjoy the journey they’ll take you on. It is a journey from Barking to Dagenham, from climate justice to mental health, from lockdown to new beginnings. Perhaps you’ll even begin to think again about the places that have shaped and sustained you over the last two years.

“I breathe some deep breaths while my eyes are closed, focussing on the sounds I've heard, the things I've seen and on the breeze that gently taps my face. The commotion I've created in my brain continues. I focus on each point one by one, trying to gain some clarity. Laughter. Playing. Leaves. Trees. Breeze.”

Young storyteller on the Write Back Programme