Program aim:
Our “ Hear my Story” program is designed to create empathy through a first-person experience and help participants understand what it may feel like to experience a traumatic life changing event resulting in a permanent spinal cord injury.
By listening to someone else’s personal story participants will develop a greater understanding from their perspective and ‘feel what they feel’; appreciating that they too could experience a life changing event resulting in permanent injury.
The aim is for the program’s content to impact choices; leading to modified attitude and safer behaviours.
Program description:
Participants listen to a recorded personal story through headphones whist sitting in a wheelchair. They are invited to imagine what it might feel like to experience the life changing event that is described.
Our stories first introduce the listener to able bodied people living what is perceived to be a “normal life”; probably not too dissimilar to their own. The story teller then describes the details of a sudden and unexpected life changing traumatic event that resulted in a permanent spinal cord injury; and shares their feelings and experiences after this change.
After hearing the story the participant is asked to answer a series of questions that will help to guide their experience in order that they can debrief and learn positively.
- Identify the key causes of traumatic spinal cord injuries and appreciate that most people (including themselves and their loved ones) regularly participate in these activities
- Understand that sustaining a spinal cord injury would have a drastic impact on daily life
- Appreciate that there are risky behaviours that will put them at a greater risk of sustaining a spinal cord injury (or other traumatic injuries including death) and that there are also simple behavioural patterns that can significantly reduce this risk
Target group
This program is fully flexible and can be modified to suit older teenagers and adults up to 85 years of age. The participating group will listen to stories relevant/appropriate to their own age, gender, occupation, demographic or risk profile.
Program design:
Duration:
Each participant listens to a 5 minute audio recording with the option to extend the session with debrief questions.
Course size:
Flexible — capacity for participation by more than one person at a time (i.e. multiple headphones, wheelchairs). Up to 100 people in one day.
Delivery:
Seated in a wheelchair listening to a personal story on headphones.
Materials:
All provided by PBF.
Venue:
The location is flexible.