Using Storytelling to Amplify Voices of Those Who Transitioned Through Healthcare

Introduction: Our project amplifies the voices of individuals and their support network on their experiences of the transition into adult healthcare. We have used storytelling as a qualitative method of eliciting data (stories) from participants which can be used to educate healthcare professionals on how transition feels for those actually going through it. These stories will be digitalised and become part of an online learning platform about transitions which is in the earlier stages of creation. Methods: Over Zoom, we held three collaborative storytelling workshops facilitated by RealTalk, a storytelling organisation, to move through the processes of constructing, honing and telling a good story. Our participants consisted of eight people who had either been through, or supported someone else through, transition. The sample included people from across Scotland, most of which had unique experiences of transition through different healthcare boards. The first workshop was an opportunity to brainstorm ideas, the second was to create a clear storyboard of their transition journey and in the third workshop participants learned about storytelling techniques. We are currently in the process of digitally recording each participants telling their story. Results: The outcome of this project has been five digital stories co-produced with our participants. Each ‘digital story’ will include audio of the individual telling their transition story with photos laid over which reflect their experiences. will be added to our online learning hub for healthcare professionals and also be made accessible to a wider audience through YouTube. As an organisation we have gained further insight into the individual experience of transition. Conclusion: Successful production of these digital stories has provided a robust resource through which healthcare professionals can educate themselves and their peers about the realities of this transition process for young people and their support network.