Fostering Resilience: #NorthVanStories Living History
Creating meaningful connection through storytelling.
Creating meaningful connection through storytelling.
The “7 O’Clock Cheer” was an evening ritual outside the Lions Gate Hospital in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: Jackson Waller
How are you keeping connected with your community during the COVID-19 pandemic? As part of Mayor Linda Buchanan’s Healthiest Small City Social Resilience Collective, MONOVA’s #NorthVanStories Living History program is exploring the power of personal storytelling to foster resilience in our communities.
When it launches on October 28, the #NorthVanStories Living History program will engage North Shore youth, seniors and other potentially isolated members of the community to create and share personal stories. An online platform will be used to disseminate the stories and provide participants and visitors with a virtual hub that will grow over time as more stories are added.
“This pandemic has highlighted the importance of community connection. By fostering conversations between people we can grow our community resiliency and make the City a more welcoming and supportive place for all people. This quick-start delivers new ways for people to connect, share stories to build mutual understanding, and form long-lasting relationships.” – Mayor Linda Buchanan
The process of creating and sharing stories will develop meaningful connections between individuals and communities throughout North Vancouver. It will also provide an opportunity for participants to improve their communication skills and digital literacy. The desired long-term outcome is to increase empathy and connections across genders, socioeconomic classes, age and ethnicity.
#NorthVanStories Living History builds upon an earlier social media project led by the North Vancouver Museum and Archives at the outset of the pandemic.
Participating Social Resiliency Collective organizations, including the North Shore Pride Alliance, North Shore Multicultural Society and the St. Agnes Anglican Church join MONOVA to engage their respective communities and networks to ensure that different stories are captured and told, with a distinct emphasis on engaging vulnerable populations and others who may not typically participate in this type of project.
Physical distancing signs like this one in the Shipyards District are now ubiquitous in public spaces across North Vancouver. Photo: Jackson Waller
Share Your Stories
If you work with seniors, youth and/or individuals who have stories to share about how they are managing during the pandemic, we’d love to learn more. This also applies to individuals and community members. Reach out to our team and let us know how you’re coping. You can share your stories by contacting the Archives of North Vancouver at archives@monova.ca.
“MONOVA is really excited to participate in the Mayor’s Social Resiliency Collective. The #NorthVanStories project was initiated to bring our community together during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that we’ve entered the second wave, this program will inspire and support more meaningful connections within the North Vancouver community during this challenging time.” – Dr. Jessica Bushey, Archivist
Project Coordinator Karina Grenwood recently joined MONOVA to lead this work and support the creation of this unique digital collection that will contribute to long-lasting community health and resiliency in North Vancouver.
How are you keeping connected with friends, family and neighbours during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic? Reach out to the Archives team and let them know!
We rely on contributions, monthly or one-time gifts, to help MONOVA safeguard and expand our community’s archival and museum collections, build learning experiences and inspire future generations.
Donations are accepted through the Friends of the North Vancouver Museum & Archives Society, Registered Charity No. 89031 1772 RR0001.
REGULAR HOURS
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115 West Esplanade
North Vancouver, BC V7M 0G7
Tel: 604. 990. 3700 (ext. 8016)
Fax: 604. 987. 5688
REGULAR HOURS
Monday
Drop-in 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Tuesday – Friday
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3203 Institute Road
North Vancouver, BC V7K 3E5
We respectfully acknowledge that MONOVA: Museum and Archives of North Vancouver is located on the traditional lands of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations, whose ancestors have lived here for countless generations. We are grateful for the opportunity to live, work and learn with them on unceded Coast Salish Territory.