Migrant and refugee stories to ‘come to life’ through University of Gloucestershire-led project

The University of Gloucestershire has won €237,000 of EU funding to lead a project to help schools, universities and other organisations better understand the backgrounds of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

‘MyStory: Digital Storytelling Toolbox for Diversity’ will help train teachers and school pupils in the use of digital media for storytelling, allowing them to collaborate with students to collect the stories of a wide range of people from different, often disadvantaged, backgrounds.

The two-year project, funded by the EU’s Erasmus+ scheme, will see the University of Gloucestershire oversee seven other schools and universities in Europe to share the experiences of hundreds of people who have migrated to find better lives, often due to political instability.

These stories focus on the different foods, family traditions and festivals inherent in other cultures, and act as a platform to enhance the understanding of ethnic and cultural diversity.

Project co-ordinator Dr Abigail Gardner said: “We are delighted to have secured €237,000 worth of Erasmus+ funding to help bring the stories of many migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to life.

“The MyStory project will allow teachers and students across four countries to share their migration experiences with other schools and universities, and indeed across entire communities.

“Those involved will be able to learn about current issues on migration in ways that are engaging, inclusive, and above all informed directly from the experiences of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers themselves.”