This is the sixth of seven parts on gleaming from personal experiences as well as experiences of the 100+ youth who have taken the stage – live and virtual – through Story Crossroads since 2016. We support youth beyond the stage through Youth Teller Reunions as well as Live & Virtual Story Camps.
7-Parts:
- Part 1 – Choosing the “Right” Words – REVEALED
- Part 2 – Friend/Listener/Mentor – REVEALED
- Part 3 – The Storytelling Birthday – REVEALED
- Part 4 – Combining Talents – REVEALED
- Part 5 – Ownership of Events & Beyond – REVEALED
- Part 6 – Virtual Options – TODAY
- Part 7 – Wishlist Stages
Virtual options are prevalent today…and were yesterday and will be into the future.
Almost any idea you have can be transformed to virtual.
I did not always think this way. Live events are the best experiences, yet something not “the best” can still be wonderful. Many of us have had our eyes opened to possibilities due to lock-downs and stay-at-home mandates. While areas open up and gatherings of limited-sized are allowed, virtual events continue to be viable and important.
The same goes for youth events.
What can be virtual for youth?
- Performances and Festivals
- Workshops and Story Camps
- Youth Teller Reunions
- “Check-Ins” or “Chats” with other Youth Tellers – Informal
- Story Game Nights
- Round-Robin Storytelling or Break-out Groups for Developing Stories
- Submitting Auditions or Story Pieces to be Reviewed/Selections
- Mentoring/Coaching
Sounds like everything that can be done live? Yes, you are right.
Giving yourself permission to have any live event be adapted to virtual is freeing and a relief. Things do not have to stay canceled or postponed. There does not have to be months of nothing.
Of course, if you never pursued these youth events on the live level–such as Youth Teller Reunions–then give yourself permission to have the virtual event be the premiere and add the live version down the road.
More and more, I look forward to when we can offer both kinds of Reunions – live and virtual. Perhaps the live would be in the summer while the virtual would be in the winter. Something.
In the meantime, what platforms can work for these virtual events?
- Zoom, free version up to 40 minutes or professional paid level of $100/year
- Facebook Rooms – click here for video on how to use them
- Google Meet-Ups and/or Google Hangouts
- Twitch/Discord (more for older youth/college-aged adults)
Need more? Check out this article: https://www.aventri.com/blog/tech-tuesday-the-top-13-online-meeting-platforms
Keep in mind that anything that involves the virtual world needs permissions from guardian(s) the same for live events. Even when do events as free or with tuition, involve a level of registration. This can be done through Google Forms and easily transformed into an Excel document. You could have a registration service. We recently have connected with Wild Apricot and love it. Figure out what works best for you.
Make something happen. Virtually. For youth.
Be there for our youth – today.
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See our already-streamed/recorded The Big Why Panel: Historical Storytelling meets Humanities. See our 5-video playlist from the Story Crossroads Spectacular by clicking here.
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