The Potential of the Storytelling Method for Co-Creating the Practice of Social Work at the Municipal Level

Alice Gojova, Eliska Cerna, Marketa Ctvrteckova, Simona Fabiankova

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the text is to critically assess the potential of the storytelling method for co-creating social work practice in chosen municipalities. THEORETICAL BASE: The theoretical framework of the research is based on the concept of co-creating knowledge and social work practice, which in the Czech context is conducted in the form of community planning in municipalities. METHODS: To achieve the aim of the research, we used a qualitative research strategy. We conducted 15 semi-structured interviews with municipality workshop participants. The data were analysed using constructivist grounded theory and the positional maps of A. Clarke. OUTCOMES: The research results show that storytelling would have the potential for understanding the complexity of people’s lived experiences if certain conditions were met, specifically the openness of the municipal social workers to the perspectives of people with experience, preparation for workshops by consultants, work with the emotions of workshop participants, and the workshop’s whole design, which supports the ability to identify clients’ needs and reflect their fulfilment by the municipalities. For storytelling to fulfil its potential in the cocreation of practice in social work, more conditions would need to be met, like continuous and comprehensively conceived cooperation with people with experience, including the preparation of municipal social workers for participation. SOCIAL WORK IMPLICATIONS: The research results contribute to the expansion of methods that enable the participation of social workers and people with lived experience in the process of developing and planning social work at the municipal level.

Keywords
co-creating knowledge and practice of social work, community planning, storytelling, people with lived experience

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