At Cinema Paradiso, The Skill Engineer’s Skilled Creative team transformed a local screening into a celebration of community storytelling. Families, friends, and young people gathered to see the stories that had emerged from months of collaboration through In My Shoes, a youth storytelling project that explores culture, identity and belonging across the Central Coast.
The films reflected a mosaic of lived experience, from The Bridge Project by Erika Peterson, to Different Voices, One School at Wyong High School, and an exclusive DigiVan production with UN Youth Ambassador Satara Uthayakumaran.
The feature film told the extraordinary journey of Mohamad, who fled Syria as a teenager and resettled in Australia through the efforts of Coastal CRISP a local volunteer network. His story, and so many others, reminded us that belonging is built through empathy, understanding, and courage.
The feedback from the evening was as powerful as the stories themselves. “Your diversity and spirit are what make Australia a great place to live,” one audience member wrote. Another said, “Everyone’s stories were inspiring and give hope to the Central Coast, that we can become more multicultural and welcoming. Well done all; it takes a village.”
97 per cent of respondents said the films deepened their understanding of others’ experiences and cultures, a significant reflection to the power of storytelling as social change.
We’re grateful to Multicultural NSW, Central Coast Council, Central Coast Community Council, CRISP, Wyong High School, and to the young storytellers who shared their voices so generously.
A huge thank you to Cody Dillon, SONG LAB founder and DigiBeats extraordinaire, for setting the tone on the decks with world beats and a warm welcome for everyone who joined us.
A big congratulations to Mike and his wonderful team Daniel, Amro, Brad, Luke and Tamanah who have all given so much life to this project.
If you missed the screening, you can watch the films at skilledcreative.com.au.
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