The Challenge

We live in increasingly divided communities where the perceived differences between groups with different backgrounds often outweighs what they actually have in common. This often leads to segregated groups of people with strong differing viewpoints and little empathy for others.

The Solution

Local story-sharing events that bring diverse local communities one story closer to each other. Community facilitators use a ready-to-go kit containing everything they need to run events, including our popular question cards, promotional materials, access to impact reporting tools and facilitation training.

“It is easy to facilitate yet it is very meaningful. It connects you with people in your community. I could really see it working in lots of different environments.”

Andrea, Partner of Historypin’s Storybox

“The game is a series of secrets and sensibilities shared – a prompt to pass from friend to friend, diving deeper.”

Daniel Johnson, Significant Developments

So far…

  • Concept and early prototypes tested across 20+ locations in the UK and USA
  • 300+ participants engaged to date
  • Pilot in the USA, engaging 15 library-facilitators across four states
  • 2-week sprint building games prototypes with Studio PSK in London
  • Games prototype testing with local communities

Research

Comment

Cultural Heritage and Social Change Summit: One Year On

This report summarizes some of the core findings of the Cultural Heritage and Social Change Summit–themes that have also arisen in many other cultural heritage conferences and meetings over the past year:

  • Safe Space for Disruptive Dialogue
  • Funding for Transformative Gatherings
  • Equitable and Ethical Collaboration
  • Diversifying Technology Production in Cultural Heritage Spaces
  • Integrating Community Archives Into Traditional Cultural Heritage Spaces
  • Social Innovation and Rethinking Goals and Objectives in the Cultural Heritage Sector

Jon Voss

Connecting Well

David Robinson is Shift’s founder and a community worker in east London. He is currently exploring new work on social isolation at the Marshall Institute. This is the first in a series of blogs.

Partners