An Online Writing Class

Do you have a good social change story to tell?
​We can help you to write it.

If you have been involved in social change processes of any kind it is likely that you have good stories of change to tell and important insights to share from those experiences. In this class you will learn to write your stories in ways that capture their rich reality and meaning.

N.B. The next class is scheduled to begin on Tuesday 22 October 2024.

To register and pay, go to the Secure Online Pay Site

​An Online Class in Four Sessions

The class will be in 4 sessions on Zoom, of 3.5 hours each

N.B. the times are in GMT - go to the Timezone Converter (https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/) to find the time where you live.

SESSION ONE
Tuesday 22 October 2024
09h00 to 12h30 GMT - 11h00 to 14h30pm SAST - ​12h00 to 15.30 EAT

A step-by-step process to write your first draft of about 800 words using the Outside/Inside Story free-writing technique.

SESSION TWO 
Friday 25 October 2024
09h00 to 12h30 GMT - 11h00 to 14h30pm SAST - ​12h00 to 15.30 EAT

After a brief input on a powerful listening approach (head/heart/feet), you will enhance your story before reading your draft to two peers to get valuable feedback. And give them feedback too. You will then incorporate the feedback into the next draft. 

SESSION THREE
Tuesday 29 October 2024
09h00 to 12h30 GMT - 11h00 to 14h30pm SAST - ​12h00 to 15.30 EAT

We will introduce you to the Action Learning Cycle to enable you to draw valuable insights, learnings and implications for future practice to include in your draft. You will then get peer feedback on your second draft and immediately incorporate that into a third draft. 

You will then send your draft to the facilitator, who will give you editorial feedback to learn from and incorporate into your fourth draft.

SESSION FOUR
Tuesday 5 November 2024
09h00 to 12h30 GMT - 11h00 to 14h30pm SAST - ​12h00 to 15.30 EAT

After input to assist you to polish your language, improve your beginning and ending and stylistic improvements, you will receive final feedback from your peers to enable you to produce a final draft.

A Writer's Guide
We will provide you with a comprehensive and helpful Writer's Guide, full of practical advice to finetune your writing pieces. 

Your facilitator
Doug Reeler has facilitated Barefoot Guide Writeshops and provided coaching and editing support for writers for the past fifteen years. He also practices as an organisation and social change practice facilitator with Tamarind Tree Associates.

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An article to understand the thinking behind this course

Outside Story Inside Story:

​The Power of Stories in Practices of Social Change
​by Doug Reeler
​​Exploring the role of stories and storytelling in social change and how writing and working with stories of change can contribute to transforming social change practice

​​Download

The Course Fee
75 euros / R1450 (South African)

What previous participants have said about the course
"I have not done anything like this before even though I am a researcher. I found the training in terms of how to write with emotion, how to engage with the reader and how to express myself invaluable. Highly recommended as a form of self-empowerment!"

"A must for everyone involved in social change."

"The writing course was life-changing - it gave me both the practical tools and the inspiration to get writing!"

"This workshop empowered me to not only surface my inner voice and reflections, but to move beyond the constraints of detached bureaucratic report writing and academic research abstraction, and to embrace a new level of intimacy in storytelling writing."

"The idea of the 'outside' and 'inside' story was illuminating - it's something that you sort of know about but giving it a language and intentionality was really nice. The facilitation had a nice rhythm and the space was held well. I really enjoyed it and encourage others to do it."

"Learn to Write Stories of Change is an engaging and enjoyable course providing just the right balance of technical know-how and hands-on practice. Great for beginners and more experienced writers."

“During the writeshop I experienced my story coming alive and communicating directly to my audience. The direct and honest feedback from my peers helped the story to get even more on purpose.”
 
“Such a simple process, yet so profound. I absolutely loved it. Can't wait for the next session. I feel like the next Jane Austen.”
 
“This course has stretched and deepened how I think about what I write.”
 
“If you're a left-brainer, just do this course. Even if you don't particularly need to write anything, although it would be best if you did. It shakes you up and resettles you in a better way!”

 Our Experience 
The method developed by the Barefoot Guide Connection during the past ten years has culminated in a wide array of twelve Barefoot Guides, articles, reports, blogs written by communities of practice in social change fields like health, environment, organisational change, agroecology and inclusion. Most of the hundreds of people we have supported to write stories from their own rich experience had never imagined they could write something worth publishing. But they have and so can you. 

Our approach
We facilitate enjoyable processes to help participants to overcome their writers’ block and to use the writing process itself to reflect and learn. This also helps those involved in monitoring and evaluation to develop a deeper learning dimension in their practice.​​
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The Course Fee

​75 euros / R1450 (South African)

To register and pay, go to the Secure Online Pay Site