Best Blue Bear Creative Podcasts (2025)

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PROX GEMS: A Day with Spike Lee and Other Stories with Ammar Mohamed 19:04

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3d ago19:04

19:04

Ammar Mohamed, filmmaker and assistant to Ryan Coogler, on how he broke into the industry, his infamous ID story, and a never-before-released story about a special day with Spike Lee. Part of our special "Prox Gems" holiday mini episodes. Learn more and read the transcript at ProximityMedia.com Shop our Prox Recs at Bookshop.org Watch/Listen to IN …

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PROX RECS 2025: Best Books, Films & Career Advice from Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson & More 30:09

10d ago30:09

30:09

Celebrate the holidays with IN PROXIMITY! Kicking off our series of holiday mini episodes, host Paola Mardo shares the best Prox Recs of 2025. Whether you’re looking for new books to read, films to watch, or advice to fuel your creative journey, this episode gathers this year’s pro recommendations on our podcast from Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson,…

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How to Build a Film Community with Armenian Film Society 30:39

17d ago30:39

30:39

From bookstore events to hosting the SINNERS Los Angeles premiere, what’s it like to start a film community from scratch? Armen and Mary Karaoghlanian, founders of Armenian Film Society, share how they turned their passion for cinema and community into a cultural hub that hosts major film festivals, galas, and premieres. They discuss their recent 1…

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Episode 4: S5E4 - Therapeutic letter-writing 23:30

22d ago23:30

23:30

How can therapeutic letters support healing, truth-telling and connection? Ciara McClelland from Trauma Informed Consultancy Services explains how letters can help young people feel seen, heard and understood. How they can reach people in a way that conversations can't, and how they can help us say things that might be difficult to talk about in pe…

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What Does a Culinary Producer Do on THE BEAR? 31:18

24d ago31:18

31:18

Step into the kitchen set with Courtney Storer, culinary producer and co-executive producer of FX's Emmy-winning series THE BEAR. In this special holiday episode of IN PROXIMITY, host Paola Mardo learns how to make Italian red sauce pasta while digging into what it takes to bring THE BEAR’S iconic food moments to life. Courtney shares exclusive beh…

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From Storyboard Artist to Marvel Director: Todd Harris on EYES OF WAKANDA & SINNERS 42:37

1M ago42:37

42:37

You know that iconic SINNERS juke joint music montage? Todd Harris is the artist who helped bring that sequence to life. A veteran storyboard artist, Todd went from designing action sequences for blockbusters like BLACK PANTHER, AVENGERS, and JOHN WICK to creating, directing, and showrunning his own Marvel series and directorial debut, EYES OF WAKA…

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What Filmmakers Can Learn from the Sneaker That Changed Streetwear 54:31

1M ago54:31

54:31

What can a $100K riot-inducing sneaker teach us about storytelling, design, and creativity? Jeff Staple’s 2005 Nike Pigeon Dunk didn’t just drop. It ignited a riot in the streets of New York City and helped rewrite the rules of streetwear, brand marketing, and storytelling through design. On IN PROXIMITY, Jeff joins host Paola Mardo to unpack how h…

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Episode 3: S5E3 - Exploring The Vault: a digital tool for life story work 28:36

1M ago28:36

28:36

How can digital tools help young people store important memories, documents and stories? And how can care-experienced voices guide their use? Find out how artists Rosie Reid and Ruth Mary Johnson worked with three young care leavers to experiment with an app called The Vault (developed by Articulate Cultural Trust). Hear how they played, created, a…

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SUPERGIRL's Azie Tesfai on Acting, Writing & Producing Your Own Stories 44:57

2M ago44:57

44:57

Azie Tesfai was on track to become a lawyer until a breakup led to an audition and a new career in acting, writing, and producing. She’s appeared on JANE THE VIRGIN, MATLOCK, and DC’s SUPERGIRL, where she starred as The Guardian and became the first Ethiopian and Eritrean person to portray a superhero on screen. She also wrote an episode of SUPERGI…

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From Sundance to The Shade Room: How Angelica Nwandu Built a Media Empire 45:41

2M ago45:41

45:41

After a family tragedy landed her in foster care, Angelica “Angie” Nwandu turned to writing and poetry. Her first screenplay, NIGHT COMES ON, co-written with director Jordana Spiro, made her a 2014 Sundance Fellow where her mentors included Quentin Tarantino and Kasi Lemmons. The film starred Dominique Fishback and premiered at the festival in 2018…

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SINNERS Script Supervisor on Working with Ryan Coogler and Christopher Nolan 39:17

2M ago39:17

39:17

When Ryan Coogler needed someone to track every detail on SINNERS – including Michael B. Jordan playing twin brothers Smoke and Stack – he called Steve Gehrke, the veteran script supervisor and longtime collaborator of Christopher Nolan. With credits that span MEMENTO, INCEPTION, THE DARK NIGHT, OPPENHEIMER, and the upcoming THE ODYSSEY, Gehrke sha…

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Ryan Coogler’s Assistant on SINNERS, WAKANDA FOREVER, Set Life, and Learning from Mistakes 38:16

2M ago38:16

38:16

What’s a crafty run? Why wear a chest vest? What would you do if you lost your boss’ ID? Ammar Mohamed – assistant to Ryan Coogler, SINNERS associate producer, and filmmaker – joins IN PROXIMITY host Paola Mardo to share what it’s really like supporting one of Hollywood’s busiest directors today. From locking in on set to hard lessons learned on th…

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How Assistants vs. Agents Creator Warner Bailey Turned a Meme Page into a Media Brand and Business 38:07

2M ago38:07

38:07

Are you a Hollywood assistant a.k.a. a rockstar with thick skin able to work in a fast-paced environment?! This is the episode for you! Assistants vs. Agents creator Warner Bailey joins IN PROXIMITY podcast host Paola Mardo to share how he turned his viral meme page into a community empowering the next generation of entertainment power players, and…

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SINNERS Cultural Consultant Dolly Li on the Delta Chinese, Docs, and That Licking Line 51:26

3M ago51:26

51:26

How did a documentary and Ryan Coogler’s Chinese family ancestry lead to a role consulting on the blockbuster film SINNERS? Journalist, documentary filmmaker, and SINNERS cultural consultant Dolly Li joins IN PROXIMITY podcast host Paola Mardo to talk about her work on SINNERS, her documentary THE UNTOLD STORY OF AMERICA’S SOUTHERN CHINESE, and why…

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Episode 2: S5E2 - How to add creativity into life story work 21:32

3M ago21:32

21:32

In this episode of the Creative Life Story Work podcast, Dawn is joined by Blue Cabin Associate Artist, Nic Golightly, to explore the power of creativity in life story work. Together, they challenge the myth of 'I’m not creative', uncover everyday acts of imagination we often overlook, and share how playful approaches can spark confidence, connecti…

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Making Hollywood Come to You with Talent Manager James Swoope (M88) 35:15

3M ago35:15

35:15

How do you get a manager? What’s the difference between a manager and an agent? James Swoope, talent manager at M88, breaks it all down with IN PROXIMITY podcast host Paola Mardo. From Cleveland to Hollywood, Swoope has built a career managing talent like Dominique Thorne (IRONHEART), actor and singer Coco Jones, designer and entrepreneur Jeff Stap…

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How Justin Tipping Blended Sports & Horror in HIM 37:25

3M ago37:25

37:25

Writer/Director Justin Tipping (KICKS, THE CHI) joins IN PROXIMITY podcast host Paola Mardo to break down the making of his new film HIM, produced by Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions. He reveals how grief and greatness shaped his bold mix of sports and horror, how Hitchcock and Busta Rhymes inspired the film’s genre-bending score, and how gro…

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Trailer for Season 3 - Coming Monday September 22nd! 2:47

3M ago2:47

2:47

A voice memo from Ryan Coogler to Paola Mardo – writer, producer, Proximity Media’s head of audio, and the new host of IN PROXIMITY podcast! Starting Monday, September 22nd, catch weekly episodes with exciting guests pushing the boundaries of film, TV, music, art, and culture. Plus updates on Proximity’s latest projects like SINNERS, IRONHEART, EYE…

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Episode 1: S5E1 - Therapeutic Life Story Work with adults 22:42

4M ago22:42

22:42

Psychologist Amy Payne joins us from Australia's Blue Mountains to talk about Therapeutic Life Story Work with adults. We discuss how she has adapted the Rose model of Therapeutic Life Story Work for different ages and Amy shares examples of its use. Find out how Therapeutic Life Story Work can help adults manage transitions in life and plan for th…

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Episode 12: S4E12 - Making genograms more creative and meaningful 23:16

5M ago23:16

23:16

Clinical psychologist Dr Karen Treisman MBE joins us to talk about genograms and why they matter in trauma-informed care. Genograms are a visual representation of a family tree, which are often used in therapeutic settings. Karen shares how we can extend the traditional genogram model to make it into something much more creative, relational and mea…

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Chinaka Hodge on Running Her First Writers Room & Creating Marvel Magic | IN PROXIMITY: IRONHEART 1:13:03

6M ago1:13:03

1:13:03

From the Def Jam Poetry scene to the set of a major Marvel TV show, Oakland-raised writer, poet, rapper, actor, playwright, and screenwriter Chinaka Hodge knows how to tell an epic story. Her most recent project, the Marvel TV series IRONHEART, released to Disney+ in June. Starring Dominique Thorne, IRONHEART tells the story of “bad girl genius” Ri…

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Episode 11: S4E11 - Going on a bear hunt: learning about Think, Feel, Do Sensory Bears 26:05

6M ago26:05

26:05

This month we are talking about Think, Feel, Do Bears - how they were developed and how they can be used during life story work. Amy Payne and Karen Vance, two of the practitioners who created Think, Feel, Do Bears, join us from Australia. They take us back to 2016, when the first Think, Feel, Do bears were made, inspired by conversations at the 20…

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Episode 10: S4E10 - Sing Our Story: how personalised songs can be part of life story work 23:46

7M ago23:46

23:46

Sing Our Story is a personalised song-writing programme created by London-based charity, Groundswell Arts. Groundswell Arts and Blue Cabin are now collaborating to deliver Sing Our Story in North East England, with a focus on care-experienced babies and children. Joseph Robb (head of service, looked-after children at Darlington Borough Council) exp…

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Episode 9: S4E9 - Using timelines in life story work 28:26

8M ago28:26

28:26

Timelines are a powerful tool in life story work. They can bring play into the process; they can link past, present and future; and they can help prepare children for change. And they provide a safe way to explore a life story. Listen to our conversation with Polly Baynes, who has worked with children and families for 37 years, for some brilliant a…

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How Blues Music Inspired Ludwig Göransson and Ryan Coogler on SINNERS 40:57

8M ago40:57

40:57

Composer and executive producer Ludwig Göransson spoke with director, writer, and producer Ryan Coogler at his studio to talk about how the Delta blues and their family history inspired the film’s story and sound. They also break down the song “I Lied To You,” written by Ludwig and Raphael Saadiq, and performed by Miles Caton as Sammie in the film.…

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Making IMAX History on SINNERS with Ryan Coogler and Autumn Durald Arkapaw 50:39

9M ago50:39

50:39

Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw sat down with director, writer, and producer Ryan Coogler at IMAX headquarters to discuss their collaboration as director and DP, how they called Christopher Nolan and Hoyte van Hoytema for advice, and how they brought this movie to life on the biggest screen possible. With SINNERS, Autumn made history as the f…

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Episode 8: S4E8 - The role of a Therapeutic Life Story Worker 23:15

9M ago23:15

23:15

Michelle Ewing is a Therapeutic Life Story Worker with Leicestershire Children and Family Services, which recently received an Outstanding rating from Ofsted. Michelle joins us to share how the local authority provides consistent and high quality life story work for care-experienced children and young people. She gives an insight into the role of a…

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Episode 7: S4E7 - Lessons from lived experience 23:46

10M ago23:46

23:46

Lessons from lived experience Trainer Mary-anne Hodd joins us on the podcast to share her experience of being a child in care - including the challenges she faced and the people who made a positive difference. The conversation touches on so many points, from how it feels to receive your files as an adult, to Mary-anne's advice for other care-experi…

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Episode 6: S4E6 - The impact of domestic abuse on care-experienced children and young people 20:58

11M ago20:58

20:58

Social Work consultant and Trauma Informed Consultancy Services trainer, Natalie Wyatt, explains the wide-ranging effects of domestic abuse on children and young people, from developmental delays in infancy to risk-taking behaviors in adolescence. We explore how trauma-informed approaches can help rebuild trust and attachment, and look ahead to pot…

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Episode 7: BONUS EPISODE! - All About Adoption 16:34

11M ago16:34

16:34

This special podcast episode was recorded live at the Georgian Theatre in Stockton, where we gathered for the premiere of a wonderful new film called All About Adoption. The film was made by a group of young film makers from Tees Valley, through a new partnership between Blue Cabin and Adoption Tees Valley. Hear from some of the film makers about w…

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Episode 5: S4E5 - Adverse childhood experiences and their impact on later-life outcomes 25:08

12M ago25:08

25:08

We welcome Mary-anne Hodd to the podcast to discuss adverse childhood experiences (also known as ACEs). Mary-anne explains how neglect, abuse and household dysfunction in early childhood can have an impact on later-life outcomes for care-experienced people -- and how we can support young people to start to heal. Mary-anne is a care-experienced trai…

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Rachel Morrison and Ryan Coogler on cinematography, directing, and THE FIRE INSIDE 48:49

1y ago48:49

48:49

From FRUITVALE STATION to BLACK PANTHER, Rachel Morrison and Ryan Coogler are longtime friends and collaborators. Rachel is a groundbreaking director and cinematographer who made history as the first woman nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography for MUDBOUND and the first to lens a Marvel film with BLACK PANTHER_._ Her feature direct…

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Episode 4: S4E4 - The impact of parental separation on children and young people 19:30

1y ago19:30

19:30

What role can social workers play in supporting children affected by parental separation? Parental separation might be widespread (around 3.5 million children a year are living in separated families), but it can still have a big impact on children and young people, affecting behavioural outcomes, physical health and more. We welcome Natalie Wyatt t…

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How to make it in Hollywood with Courtenay Valenti and Rebecca Cho 43:14

1y ago43:14

43:14

Veteran studio executive Courtenay Valenti began her career as an assistant at Warner Bros. in the 1980s, eventually rising to President of Production and Development. During her tenure, she championed major hits including BARBIE, THE COLOR PURPLE, and Proximity’s JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH. Today, Courtenay is Head of Theatrical and Streaming Fil…

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SPECIAL EPISODE: How to Run a Movie Theater in 2024 29:20

1y ago29:20

29:20

We took a trip to Gardena Cinema, one of the last family-owned, independent movie theaters in Los Angeles, to try and answer a simple question: What’s it like to own and operate an indie movie theater today? Proximity’s Head of Audio Paola Mardo talks with owner Judy Kim about how her immigrant parents built their business after they bought the sin…

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Episode 3: S4E3 - Trauma-informed record keeping 21:12

1y ago21:12

21:12

How can social workers and foster carers create records that have a positive impact on people's lives? We welcome Dr Lisa Cherry to the podcast to discuss how we can take a trauma-informed approach to recording information about a child or young person's life. Lisa has been working in education and children's services for more than 30 years and in …

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How Writers and Producers Work Together with Jonny Sun and Rebecca Cho 39:10

1y ago39:10

39:10

GMORNING, GNITE! everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too. BOJACK HORSEMAN. GOODBYE, AGAIN. Jonny Sun is a film and TV writer, producer, author, and illustrator who has worked with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Damon Lindelof. His background is in architecture and engineering as a doctoral candidate at MIT and a creative researcher at the Harvard metaLAB.…

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Jon Else and Pete Nicks on Documentary, Truth, and Oppenheimer 42:55

1y ago42:55

42:55

Jon Else is an award-winning documentarian, cinematographer, and MacArthur Genius grant recipient. Over 40 years before Christopher Nolan’s OPPENHEIMER, Jon directed THE DAY AFTER TRINITY, a documentary film about J. Robert Oppenheimer. For almost two decades, Jon led the documentary program at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism where he m…

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Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler on Genre, Fear, and Filmmaking 47:33

1y ago47:33

47:33

GET OUT. US. NOPE. Jordan Peele is an award-winning writer, director, and producer of these groundbreaking films, and founder of Monkeypaw Productions. On this episode, Jordan walks Ryan Coogler through his early career, trading filmmaker dreams for comedy then finding his way to directing, genre filmmaking, how he wrote GET OUT but almost didn’t d…

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Episode 2: S4E2 - The role of technology in capturing the stories of care-experienced children 23:04

1y ago23:04

23:04

In this episode of the Creative Life Story Work podcast, host Dawn welcomes Christian Brock, co-founder and managing director of Virtual Memory Box, to discuss how technology is being leveraged to support life story work for care-experienced children and young people. They delve into the functionalities and benefits of the Virtual Memory Box, inclu…

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Breaking into Screenwriting with Juel Taylor, Tony Retteinmaier, and Sev Ohanian 48:44

1+ y ago48:44

48:44

When Sev Ohanian first read a script by Tony Rettenmaier, he was blown away. Tony was then fresh out of film school and working as a PA for an indie film Sev was producing. Just a few years later, Tony and his writing partner Juel Taylor would go on to write the screenplays for CREED II and SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY. On this episode, Juel and Tony sh…

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Cord Jefferson and Ryan Coogler on Writing, Directing, and What They’re Doing Next 45:13

1+ y ago45:13

45:13

Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut AMERICAN FICTION premiered at Toronto International Film Festival last year where it won the People’s Choice Award. The film grossed $23 million and won several accolades including the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. In his Oscar speech, Cord implored the industry to take more creative risks. Just weeks…

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Episode 1: S4E1 - Supporting children and young people affected by grief and loss 24:55

1+ y ago24:55

24:55

How might grief and loss affect children and young people's behaviour and relationships? And how can we support care-experienced children and young people to process their feelings? We welcome back to the podcast Ciara McClelland, who specialises in working with children and families impacted by adverse childhood experiences, to find out more about…

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Coming September 8th: Season 2! 2:10

1+ y ago2:10

2:10

Don’t miss Jordan Peele, Cord Jefferson, Courtenay Valenti, Jonny Sun, and others in conversation with Ryan Coogler, Sev Ohanian, and the rest of our Proximity crew. Follow IN PROXIMITY on your favorite podcast app to stay up-to-date on new episodes. Follow @ProximityMedia on all social media platforms for video exclusives including a new video tra…

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Episode 11: S3E11 - All About Us: Life story work for care-leavers 33:28

1+ y ago33:28

33:28

How can we adapt Creative Life Story Work for young adults? In 2023, we worked with care-leavers and young researchers to develop All About Us, a life story work pilot project for care-leavers. We talk with theatre-maker and Blue Cabin Associate, Ruth Mary Johnson, and Faye Marsh from Darlington Borough Council, about the practicalities of gatherin…

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Episode 10: S3E10 - What is a foster carer's role in life story work? 26:30

1+ y ago26:30

26:30

This month on the podcast we talk about the vital role foster carers play in the delivery of life story work. Joanne Stoddart (local authority specialist) and Jenny Young (director) from Blue Cabin are our guests as we find out what training and support foster carers receive when they welcome a child or young person to their home, and the benefits …

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Episode 9: S3E9 - How a critical friend can help shape your life story work strategy 13:15

1+ y ago13:15

13:15

We were very happy to catch up with Professor Richard Rose in Darlington, to talk about the role he's played as a critical friend for Darlington Borough Council and other organisations. Hear how having someone to share honest, constructive feedback is helping to shape life story work strategies. Find out more about Creative Life Story Work membersh…

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Episode 8: S3E8 - Darlington Borough Council's approach to life story work 13:28

1+ y ago13:28

13:28

In this bitesize episode of the Creative Life Story Work podcast, we chat with Martin Webster, Workforce Development Manager at Darlington Borough Council. He shares some of the feedback he's received from children, young people and carers, and explains how Darlington is putting a framework in place to help its staff embed a creative approach to li…

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Episode 7: S3E7 - Making time for Life Story Work 31:48

1+ y ago31:48

31:48

We hear from staff at Darlington Borough Council about how they carve out time and space for life story work. Get a real-life insight into a variety of roles in Darlington's Children's Services department, people's experiences of Creative Life Story Work, and how staff and foster carers are being supported to deliver better life story work. Click h…

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Episode 6: S3E6 - Why develop a life story work policy? 26:42

2y ago26:42

26:42

The Creative Life Story Work team asked local authorities across England how they approach life story work and whether they have a life story work policy in place. In this episode of the podcast, we talk to Blue Cabin's Director, Jenny Young, and Local Authority Specialist, Joanne Stoddart, to find out what they discovered and why a life story work…