Fellows who participate in the program undergo a yearlong in-person and virtual training in which they acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to lead trauma-informed writing workshops and nurture and develop future generations of witnesses, writers, and human rights leaders who seek to use their voices to bring about political change.

In the course of the training year, fellows benefit from lectures, workshops, and practicums led by national and international experts in fields relevant to the work we do at Center for Story & Witness. This yearlong training addresses a wide range of topics, including: how to lead inclusive, creatively ambitious writing workshops; the history of testimony and witness literature in the human rights movement; the ethics of storytelling and narrative theory; contemporary theories about race, class, and gender justice; and understanding and practicing trauma-informed pedagogy.

Upon completion of the Institute, fellows are certified as Center for Story & Witness workshop instructors or facilitators, fully qualified to run testimonial writing workshops at the grassroots level. Ours is an entrepreneurial program; we also support our fellows as they explore opportunities for grassroots advocacy and storytelling outside of the Center for Story & Witness community.

We believe that creatively ambitious, trauma-informed testimonial writing workshops must be run by leaders who are trained thoughtfully and well. Our Teacher Training Institute & Fellows Program was created to provide just this sort of training.