Voicebox

9 Oct 2015

As part of Mental Health Week 2015, Andrew Gibbs, Creative Director of Human Ventures, shares his experience of delivering a mental health digital storytelling and advocacy project on the Gold Coast.

Voicebox is a workshop program working with people who have a lived experience of mental illness to create digital advocacy content. It has been an opportunity to meet and work alongside some inspiring, creative and resilient humans to produce powerful, poignant and at times hilarious digital stories.

When Human Ventures tendered to Gold Coast Medicare Local (now Primary Health Network Gold Coast) in 2014 to deliver the first Voicebox project we knew there was the potential for something special to happen. It was clear that the process needed to be participant-led and that the workshop program developed skills in advocacy, peer research and creative documentation.

We pitched a digital storytelling approach, with program participants developing their own key message and producing a shareable video to target a chosen audience. Given that Human is an arts and creative industries enterprise we knew we needed to partner with an expert mental health service provider. FSG Australia provided support workers at each workshop and also made their staff available for participants to chat with in between workshop sessions. We also purchased a digital storytelling kit to be used by participants between workshops with FSG retaining the equipment for future projects.

In 2014 Voicebox was delivered. Over 30 participants gained skills in photography, animation, video production, sound recording, research and storytelling. Our facilitators supported them to produce a range of digital stories covering topics from the importance of exercise for mental health through to explaining what a peer support worker is.
 

Voicebox 1 - Angela's story from Human Ventures on Vimeo.

At the launch event I was struck by how much support and goodwill was in the room. Participants spoke to me about the need to deliver Voicebox again, funders and partners were impressed with the amount of content produced in a short timeframe and friends and family spoke about the personal development and growth they had witnessed.

Voicebox 1 - Overview from Human Ventures on Vimeo.

To everyone’s excitement, Voicebox was re-funded to be delivered from June to September this year.

It’s fantastic to be able to take the learnings from a pilot project and apply them to a second delivery. For Voicebox 2, we:

•  employed two previous Voicebox participants as peer facilitators
•  encouraged participants to produce digital stories under three minutes
•  refined which apps, equipment and art materials would be most effective
•  were able to grow a larger media interest at the launch event.

Voicebox combined everything I love about my job – working with community using creativity and art to address complex, important social issues to create positive change.

Voicebox 2 - Renovate Your Mind from Human Ventures on Vimeo.

Voicebox participants have consistently provided positive feedback about their involvement in the project, citing the following benefits:

•  employment as peer support workers
•  screening of their stories at conferences, events and in organisations as part of training
•  increased confidence
•  development of digital skills they will use in the future
•  reduction of stigma.

There is still much to be done to tackle the stigma associated with mental illness. I believe projects like Voicebox are an important part of the solution – empowering individuals, educating society and sharing knowledge.

Voicebox 2 Overview from Human Ventures on Vimeo.

For the full collection of Voicebox stories and for more information please visit the Partners in Recovery website.
 
Andrew Gibbs

Andrew Gibbs is the Creative Director of social enterprise Human Ventures. He has developed, managed and delivered creative projects with communities and for a wide range of clients for over 10 years. He is driven by a passion for innovation and enterprise and loves working as part of a team to see ideas become reality. Andrew says yes to video, sound, bushwalking, family, synthesizers, travel, gardening, food and video games.

Feature image: supplied by Human Ventures.