ECCAY RESOURCES

The ECCAY resources can help professionals to use in practice the solution focused knowledge they have just acquired.
Exercise nr. 24

ALTERNATIVE STORY

Minimum number of participants

 Average time length Individual 
setting		 Group setting Special Equipment Unit Online Challenges/
competition
3 persons 1-2 hours depending on the group size yes yes Paper, pencils,
ev. handout.		 1,3,4,5,6 Yes (not recommended) no


This exercise is about creating an alternative story to the life story written in the exercise “Tell your own story”.

Aim / Benefits

Through writing an alternative story the participants experience a new perspective on their lives. By concretely asking exceptions to the previously described (problem) history, new ways and possible solutions can be shown and made visible.

Furthermore, by reflecting on the different stories, the participants can be introduced to the narrative approach and thus to the insight that their own story could also be seen/ told differently. This exercise also deepens storytelling skills.

UNIT(s) related

Unit 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6.  

Why
This exercise can be related to Unit 1 as it externalises its own story to a certain extent through the storytelling in the story structure.
This exercise can be related to Unit 3 as it focuses on the participant's story from his/her perspective. This exercise can be related to Unit 4 as it enables better understanding of each other. By reflecting the stories of others, the participants can get ideas for other perspectives on their own history.
This exercise can be related to Unit 5 as it offers reflection on one’s own life.
This exercise can be related to Unit 6 as it makes the resources visible and therefore provides insight into the ecosystem.

How to do the exercise

Step 1 / Preparation:
(MANDATORY to explain how to prepare and introduce the exercise to the participant)
Prepare the equipment (Paper, pencils, walls, pins, tape) for each participant. Tell them that the exercise is about writing their own alternative story subsequent to the original story (see exercise “Tell your own story”).

Step 2
Participants are invited to read their original story (see exercise “Tell your own story”) again.
They are then asked to consider different variations of the story that would allow it to progress in a more positive way.

The participants will be animated by the following questions:
If you look at your history: When were the problems not so severe – why went it differently and what went differently?
If your new story would be a film or a novel – what would be the title of it? (From now on work with this title – it can of course be changed by the participant at any time. The use of a title can give a fun factor and it also is a good way to “externalise” the own story)
What beliefs, ideas, values, hopes and dreams do you have that could strengthen your alternative story?
What do you think this story has in mind for you?
If the story had more to say in your life – how would your life be? How could your life look like in school/work/relationships?

Step 3:
Ask the participants to write their alternative story to the previous one on the provided paper.

Depending on how literate the participants are and how deep you want to go with the analysis of the stories, choose the required length of the story. For participants who have difficulties with writing, you can ask them to write down keywords and tell the story only orally.
Tell the participants that they will be asked later to share their story. If someone does not like to share his/her story with the group by any means, he/she is not obliged to do so.
Give around 20 minutes for writing the story.

Final step / Conclusion:
After finishing the individual work, ask the participants to share their stories in the group setting.
For reflection of the stories you can ask the following questions:
What is different from your previous story?
Who or what has changed?
Do people play a more important or a less important role?
How has the hero/heroine changed? What characteristics distinguish him/her in the alternative history?
What factors make the story more positive?
Is this story closer to your wishes and ideas of life?
How does this story support you in your wishes and your life?

Debrief

Summarising the findings of the stories and the discussion/presentations and emphasise again:
-        The person is not the story. He/she is just part of the story. This insight creates a distance between the problem and the person
-        There are so many equally “true” ways to tell my story. It is my decision which one I make the most important/dominant one.
Finally, the group discusses and decides what to do with the stories - does the trainer take custody of them or do they stay with each individual? Will they be presented in the training room or to other people?

 

Specific materials

Tips and Tricks

This exercise should not be done without doing the exercise “Tell your own story” before.

On-line version

You can do this exercise online. Instead of the handout you can display it on the screen or share it on the platform you are working with.
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