Noor Kulow is child and youth development officer and narrative therapist at SOS Children’s Villages in Somalia. He is a graduate of the postgraduate training program in narrative therapy and community work at the University of Rwanda (delivered in collaboration with SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda and Dulwich Centre). Noor.Kulow@sossomalia.org
In this presentation to the International Narrative Therapy and Community Work Conference in Rwanda, Noor Kulow introduces a range of narrative practices that have been used with children in Somalia who have lost their biological parents early in life. Externalising conversations, the Team of Life approach and traditional children’s games are used to respond to stigma, reconnect children with their hopes and dreams, and respond to trauma and hardship. Movement-based activities like leapfrog and jumping, and traditional games like girir and jar, provide entry points to therapeutic conversations.
Key words: children; play; games; externalising; Team of Life; Rwanda; narrative practice
Kulow, N. (2024). Games and narrative practice [Video file]. International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, (1), https://doi.org/10.4320/HBEN1620
Author pronouns: he/him
References
Denborough, D. (2018). Do you want to hear a story? Adventures in collective narrative practice. Dulwich Centre Publications.
Nyirinkwaya, S. (2020). Games, activities and narrative practice: Enabling sparks to emerge in conversations with children and young people who have experienced hard times. International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, (1), 34–45.
White, M. (2006). Responding to children who have experienced significant trauma: A narrative perspective. In M. White & A. Morgan (Eds.), Narrative therapy with children and their families (pp. 85–97). Dulwich Centre Publications.
