Call for Expressions of Interest: Storytelling Facilitator Training

7 October 2026

The Politics and Urban Governance (PUG) Research Group at the University of the Western Cape is inviting expressions of interest from Cape Town-based researchers and practitioners to participate in an upcoming Storytelling Facilitator training. 

PUG increasingly uses participatory action research (PAR) methods in our research to engage with lived experience and enable research participants to play a more active role in knowledge production. We are looking to develop a small group of trained facilitators who could potentially support the use of these methods in future PUG research projects. 

We will select approximately 5–8 participants to take part in a PAR Facilitator Training Programme, drawing on PUG’s experience using PAR methods (e.g. Storytelling, PhotoVoice and WhatsApp Diaries). The training will be facilitated by Prof. Fiona Anciano, and will focus particularly on Storytelling. 

What will the training involve? 

The programme will run over approximately 3 weeks in November 2026, with two training sessions per week. Training will be primarily online, with two in-person sessions in Cape Town (at the beginning and end of the programme). 

The training will focus on both understanding PAR methods and developing the practical skills needed to facilitate them with research participants and communities. It will draw particularly on Storytelling, while also engaging with broader principles and practices of participatory research. 

Topics will include: 

• principles and approaches to participatory action research; 
• Storytelling as a PAR method; 
• planning and facilitating participatory research activities; 
• facilitation skills and managing group processes; 
• ethics, power and positionality in participatory research; 
• working with diverse participants and communities; 
• responding to unanticipated challenges during research, and 
• adapting participatory methods to different research contexts 
• producing a story as an output. 

The programme will include practical exercises and opportunities for participants to practise facilitating PAR methods.

Proposed training dates: 

• 9 November, 10:00–14:00 – in person at UWC 
• 11 November, 15:00–18:00 – online 
• 16 November, 15:00–18:00 – online 
• 20 November, 14:00–17:00 – online 
• 23 November, 15:00–18:00 – online 
• 25 November, 10:00–13:00 – in person at UWC 

Participants must be available to attend all six sessions. Full participation is required to receive a certificate of completion and to be eligible for consideration for potential future PAR facilitation opportunities with PUG. 

Who are we looking for? 

We are looking for people who: 

• are based in Cape Town and able to attend both in-person sessions; 
• have an interest in participatory and community-engaged research; 
• are interested in developing practical facilitation skills and learning the storytelling method for research; 
• are comfortable working with diverse groups and communities; 
• have strong English oral communication skills; and 
• can commit to participating in the full programme and attending all six sessions (2 sessions per week). 

 

Previous experience with PAR or other participatory research methods would be advantageous but is not essential. Experience in research, facilitation, community engagement or related work will also be considered. 

Future opportunities 

The programme is intended to strengthen PUG’s wider capacity to undertake participatory research by developing a group of people with the skills to facilitate PAR methods. PUG researchers will continue to lead the design and overall research process, with facilitators potentially supporting the delivery of participatory activities and fieldwork. 

Participants who successfully complete the full training programme may be considered for opportunities to support PAR activities in future PUG research projects, where appropriate. This will depend on the needs, funding and requirements of individual projects and does not guarantee future work. 

How to apply

Please complete the online application form [click here]. You will be asked to provide a short expression of interest (maximum 500 words) and upload a 2-page CV. 

Your expression of interest should include: 

• a brief introduction to your current role, research or area of work; 
• any relevant experience in research, participatory research, community engagement and/or facilitation; 
• any PAR or other participatory methods you have previously used, and the context in which you used them; 
• why you are interested in participating in the programme; 
• why you think you would be a good candidate to develop as a PAR facilitator;
• the languages in which you are comfortable facilitating; and 
• confirmation that you are based in Cape Town and available to attend all training sessions, including the two in-person sessions. 

 

Training period: 9-25 November 2026 

Application deadline: 20 October 2026 

Apply here: https://forms.gle/i7dreXNf3EjLFDS57 

Enquiries: pugresearch@uwc.ac.za & cculwickfatti@uwc.ac.za 

 

There is no cost to participate in the training programme. Limited funds may be available to reimburse local transport costs to and from UWC for the two in-person training sessions.