Data Collection- Consumer Involvement

For participants, creating and sharing their ‘I am’ Digital Story can be an important and powerful process, enabling agency and reflection. The Stories can also provide validation for participants when their experiences and perspectives are shared and heard. For example, a ‘screening’ of the ‘I am’ Digital Story with those who know the person well can be a very positive and affirming experience. Some people may choose to only share their Story in this way and / or with a small, selected group of people. Participants can invest a significant amount of time and energy creating an ‘I am’ Digital Story and may choose to share their Story more widely, often citing the reason for sharing their lived experiences to bring about positive change within the services they use and to the attitudes of others.