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Self-introduction through life stories, values and purpose: Writing a motivation letter

Organisation

DAFNI KEK

Methodology

 Autobiographical story-telling

Type of activity / modality

Activity, Workshop / In presence

Summary

The “Self-introduction through life stories, values and purpose: Writing a motivation letter” is an autobiographical story-telling workshop designed to help participants master the art of self-introduction, storytelling, and expressing their personal values and purpose. Through a series of engaging activities, participants will develop the skills necessary to articulate their life experiences, aspirations, and motivations in a memorable and impactful way.

Theme

The “Self-introduction through life stories, values and purpose: Writing a motivation letter is a workshop designed to support migrant women in their journey towards self-awareness and empowerment through a blend of educational activities based on art-therapy and storytelling techniques. By integrating  autobiographical storytelling the workshop aims to foster social inclusion and personal growth. Participants will engage in activities that help them reflect on their life experiences, express their emotions, and articulate their aspirations.

Participants

The workshop was initially developed for Ukrainian female refugees living in Athens. Still, it is suitable for diverse groups of learners and age groups.

Objective

The objectives of the workshop are for the participants:

  • to enhance their ability to introduce themselves in a memorable and impactful way, drawing on techniques from Zach Mercurio’s article;
  • to develop confidence in articulating personal stories and experiences;
  • to use storytelling techniques to develop compelling personal narratives;
  • to help them understand and transfer the significance of their life experiences and aspirations;
  • to encourage them to express their emotions and motivations clearly and powerfully, using emotionally charged expressions;
  • to assist them in identifying and articulating their personal values and sense of purpose, and to enable them to articulate their personal mission and the problems they aim to solve through their dream jobs.

Materials

The materials needed for this workshop are a pencil or pen and erasers, a piece of paper or notebooks and writing pads available for all the participants. Also, a Whiteboard and markers or a flip chart and markers for the facilitator to take notes and highlight important tips and to explain the steps of the activity. In addition, a printed or digital copy of Zach Mercurio’s article, “How to Powerfully Introduce Yourself So People Remember You” for reference and a projector or screen (if available) for displaying key points from the article.

Preparation

The facilitator should select a location for the workshop that is a space considered safe by all participants. A place that provides a physically and emotionally safe environment for all participants, especially a place where people can freely express themselves without fear of prejudice or any negative judgment. The process of sharing personal information may be stressful for some of the participants, so the facilitator should be alert to understand any inconvenience, take the lead and handle the situation.

In addition, the facilitator should have a familiarity with using autobiographical storytelling techniques in order to be able to explain the necessary steps, the techniques and the creative process. Also, the facilitator should be familiar with Zach Mercurio’s article about introducing oneself through storytelling.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Participants start with a fun and interactive icebreaker activity to foster a relaxed and open environment. The icebreaker activity is “2 Truths and 1 Lie”.

2. Participants write down their childhood dream jobs on a piece of paper, preparing the conditions for introspection and reflection on their aspirations.

3. The facilitator makes a short introduction based on Zach Mercurio’s article, “How to Powerfully Introduce Yourself So People Remember You,” providing practical tips and strategies for making a lasting impression.

4. Participants write motivational letters for the dream jobs they envisioned as children, answering key questions about their journey, motivations, beliefs, and problem-solving approaches, such as: “What has brought me here?”, “How did you start doing what you are doing?”, “Why is it important to you?”, ”What do you believe?”, “What is the problem you want to solve?” and “How would you solve it?”.

5. Participants share their letters with the group and the facilitator leads a discussion based on the shared letters, encouraging participants to reflect on their experiences and the writing process. The discussion can include questions such as: “What was the most challenging part of writing your letter?”, Did you discover any new insights about yourself while writing?”, “How did reflecting on your childhood dream job influence your current aspirations?” and “Which parts of your letter are you most proud of?”.

Evaluation

The last step of the workshop includes the reflection and evaluation process. Participants share their motivational letters with the group. This sharing can be voluntary to ensure a comfortable environment. Each participant reads their letter aloud, focusing on key aspects such as their journey, motivations, beliefs, and problem-solving approaches. After each participant shares their letter, the facilitator leads a discussion to encourage reflection and deeper understanding. The discussion includes the following questions:

“What was the most challenging part of writing your letter?”:  This question helps participants identify and articulate any difficulties they faced, fostering a deeper understanding of their personal and emotional barriers.

“Did you discover any new insights about yourself while writing?”: This question encourages participants to reflect on any new realizations or self-awareness that emerged during the writing process.

“How did reflecting on your childhood dream job influence your current aspirations?”: This question connects past aspirations with present goals, helping participants understand the evolution of their dreams and how they can integrate these insights into their current lives. “Which parts of your letter are you most proud of?”: Prompts participants to acknowledge and celebrate their strengths and achievements, boosting self-esteem and confidence.

Tips – Safety

The workshop can be adapted to suit coherent and diverse groups of learners. Participants may share personal information and this process may be stressful for some of them, so the facilitator should be alert to understand any inconvenience, take the lead and handle the situation.

Group size

The group size for this workshop does not matter, but it is more challenging to manage the workshop with the participation of many individuals. Working with a big group of people makes it harder to make people feel safe to share about themselves. 8 to 10 participants would be the ideal group size.

Complexity

The complexity of the workshop can be rated at 2. The facilitator needs to take some time to prepare the different phases of the workshop, review the methodology and prepare the workshop’s reflection phase.

Time

The complexity of the workshop can be rated at 2. The facilitator needs to take some time to prepare the different phases of the workshop, review the methodology and prepare the workshop’s reflection phase.

Author(s) – Sources

The author of the workshop is Nataliya Dovhopol, a Ukrainian writer, adult educator and youth worker in the context of ArtEMi Project.

Mercurio, Z. (2018, March 6). How to powerfully introduce yourself with purpose. Zach Mercurio. https://www.zachmercurio.com/2018/03/how-to-powerfully-introduce-yourself-so-people-remember-you/

In this section you will find the official translations of the activities in Italian, Portuguese, Swedish and Greek when they will be ready

In this section you will find the official translations of the activities in Italian, Portuguese, Swedish and Greek when they will be ready

In this section you will find the official translations of the activities in Italian, Portuguese, Swedish and Greek when they will be ready

In this section you will find the official translations of the activities in Italian, Portuguese, Swedish and Greek when they will be ready

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