Community Programs > Life Stories

With generous support from UBCM, the EMCS Program Office and the EMCS Film classes will soon begin work on a project called "Life Stories". Inspired by sitting and talking with a long-time resident of the Sooke Region who has been working on his memoirs, the Community School Coordinator wrote a proposal to UBCM to support the development of documentaries about the lives of some of the seniors in our community. These documentaries will be produced by EMCS Film students under the guidance of their talented teacher Lisa McLellan. Once completed, we will share the documentaries with the community in a film festival to be held at the Sooke Community Theatre sometime near the end of 2009.
We are thrilled that UBCM decided to support this project. Working with the Sooke Region Community Health Initiative (CHI) in 2006, the EMCS Program Office conducted a survey on the resiliency of the youth in our community. One message that came through clearly in the feedback is that there is a disconnect between youth and adults in the Sooke Region. The "Life Stories" project is a wonderful way to link generations in a meaningful way, to highlight some of the changes to life in Sooke over the years, and hopefully develop a greater understanding between generations. And, of course, we look forward to celebrating the lives of some of our community's elders. Watch for more news on this project as 2009 draws to a close.