The Moth's education program and spin-off podcast, Grown, share impactful student stories. They challenge the idea that young adults have it all figured out and explore coming-of-age topics like heartbreaks, first kisses, and body image. A childhood self-portrait project prompts a conversation on racial identity and a person's journey towards self-acceptance.
Storytelling should be taught in schools to promote honesty, self-discovery, and personal development.
Grown podcast amplifies the voices of young storytellers, offering adults new wisdom and understanding about the uncertainties of adulthood.
Deep dives
The Mission of the Grown Podcast
The Grown podcast aims to highlight the ongoing process of growth and the idea that no one is ever fully grown. It challenges the notion that young adults should have everything figured out and emphasizes the importance of being honest about the ongoing journey of self-discovery and development. The podcast features stories and interviews that shed light on various aspects of life, including relationships, personal development, and career, with the goal of creating a more peaceful and open conversation about the uncertainties of adulthood.
Empowering Young Storytellers
Grown provides a platform for young people who have gone through The Moth's education program to share their stories with a larger audience. By amplifying the voices of young storytellers, the podcast showcases their insights, experiences, and perspectives, which often bring a fresh and enlightening outlook to adult listeners. The stories shared on Grown highlight the resilience and compassion of young people, offering a unique window into their world and helping adults gain new wisdom and understanding.
Creating a Safer Space for Storytelling
The Moth's education program creates a safe and brave space for young storytellers to share their personal stories. Through oral storytelling exercises and community engagement, participants are encouraged to express themselves authentically without the pressures of academic standards or aesthetic expectations. The program emphasizes building trust, community, and self-expression, providing young people with a platform to share their stories and be heard in their own voices. Care is taken to ensure the consent and well-being of storytellers, and support systems are in place to address any potential challenges or concerns.
Insights and Growth Through Stories
The stories shared on Grown offer a glimpse into the complexities of coming of age in the modern world. These stories explore a wide range of topics, including heartbreaks, first kisses, puberty, body image, religion, personal boundaries, and more. Listening to the experiences of young people navigating through difficult times brings a sense of affirmation and shared humanity. It highlights the commonalities of our experiences and challenges societal perceptions that often isolate young people. Through storytelling, Grown fosters empathy, understanding, and growth for listeners of all ages.
For more than a decade, the nonprofit behind the popular storytelling podcast The Moth has run workshops in schools to help students share impactful stories from their lives. Now the group started a spin-off podcast, Grown, highlighting those student stories. Here’s what they’re learning, and why they say storytelling needs to be taught in schools.
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