Digital Storytelling for Community Participation: The Storyelling Social Living Lab

This chapter outlines a social living lab initiative led by the Fostering Digital Participation (FDP) project that aimed to encourage digital participation among a particular group of community members in the regional centre of Toowoomba (Queensland, Australia). Fostering digital participation through a social living lab model and methodology that uses social inclusion and digital connectivity differentiates this project from established living labs approaches that are typically designed more for industrial or commercial applications. Drawing on interview and observational data, the chapter discusses the processes and outcomes of a digital storytelling social living lab. The chapter provides a detailed outline of how the living lab was conducted and includes an analysis of the work produced by the young people involved in the social living lab. It also offers reflections on why the social living lab was a success, as well as the difficulties, challenges and insights for future practice.