Project 4401

empowering the Oakey community through story

 

After being approached by the Oakey Wellness Committee, I put together a proposal for their grant application for a wide-reaching series of events aimed at involving all demographics and to bring the residents of the Oakey region together for Project 4401 as the community contends with a debilitating drought to rediscover hope and the benefits that come from living in rural and regional Australia. The application was successful and from September 2019 there will be a number of activities, school visits, competitions, and more, culminating in an exhibition and public event in September 2020. 

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When people gather, stories are told and as individuals, we are able to live many lives. The opportunity to share stories about resilience, coping with adversity, reminding ourselves of the joy of being, encourages social cohesion and reduces the sense of isolation.

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… the manner in which people tell stories about their lives may predict

certain outcomes, such as their quality of life. In other words, people

who tell happier stories about their lives tend to report higher instances

of well being, compared to those who share primarily negative stories.

Telling stories with a mixture of qualities is associated with shifts in well

being over time.1

 

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