What happens in a Story Hui?

• A story-guide demonstrates a simple three part story
• Role cards explain the group process - listener, storyteller, drawing person
• Group questioning adds detail & deepens the story
• Your story is gifted back to you by the drawing person

Where did Story Hui come from?

• Back in ancient times people drew stories to describe their courageous hunting feats.  Liz Stevenson - originally a Speech Language therapist working in the Health sector - borrowed these simple mark-making ideas to develop communication storyboards with people who were regaining their use of language after brain injury. Later, Liz took this simple concept of visual thinking through into her work with schools and teams as Story Hui.
• With Liz's passing in 2022 her son Rob trained in the art of Story Hui now delivers the magic practice. 
• This model of group story sharing could be (and is) found anywhere across the world. That is, anywhere you find people respectfully treating others as valuable, and where we recognise and honour many different strengths.  But knowing HOW to do this and being ABLE to achieve this are two different things. We sometimes need a WAY.  Story Hui gives us a waka to jump on – a vehicle that helps us do important things we may have forgotten how to do.​

Who is the Story Hui Trust?

• The Story Hui Trust was established in 2018 by the Stevenson family through the estate of Lilian and George Stevenson. At five years old, Lilian became a ward of the state - but as she tells it - she managed to hold on to hope through the power of stories. This is our family’s way of passing her love and courage forward.
• The Trust is a nonprofit dedicated to fostering the social and emotional well-being of children and young people through social storytelling. It aims to contribute to a world in which the whole child is nurtured and celebrated. A world where children can grow up to be strong, peaceful, kind and contributing citizens.

Lilian & George Stevenson - Kokohinau Marae 1970