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Celebrating B.C. content: Fort St. John mother-daughter create and share mental health tools

It’s TELUS STORYHIVE’s 10 Year Anniversary! Look back on a decade of inspiring local stories
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Fort St. John’s Bev Berg and Megan Knott have worked with TELUS STORYHIVE on a number of projects promoting mental health. STORYHIVE is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year!

For 10 years, content creators from across B.C. and Alberta have been sharing their passions and telling local stories from small towns, underrepresented communities and unique perspectives thanks to support from TELUS STORYHIVE. These stories and content have sparked conversations, changed narratives and transformed careers of emerging content creators.

“We are incredibly proud of the work STORYHIVE has supported over the past 10 years in rural communities in B.C.,” says Erin Shaw, STORYHIVE’s Vancouver Island and Northern B.C. territory manager. “Celebrating and amplifying Canadian-created content that is locally reflective and relevant is at the core of TELUS STORYHIVE’s mission. It’s been very rewarding to be able to amplify the voices of the community and champion the development of content like that created by Bev Berg and her daughter, Megan Knott.”

‘Reach out to mentors and go for it!’

Sometimes mother-daughter conversations over tea are just chit-chat. Sometimes they help change the world.

Bev Berg works as a counselling hypnotherapist in Fort St. John, B.C., and her daughter Megan Knott works as a teacher. Megan saw students struggling with bullying, anxiety and other challenges, and Bev saw adults still impacted by similar childhood struggles.

“If they’d just been given the tools, they’d never end up in my counselling chair,” Bev says.

So together they started Rosy Window Productions, which offers mental health tools through books, meditations, and even a video interview series produced with the support of TELUS STORYHIVE.

“We’d been looking to create other forms of content, but hadn’t taken the plunge. Then we were selected the STORYHIVE Voices program and boom, we plunged right into it!”

Bev and Megan have created more than one project with STORYHIVE, and a lot has changed since they began — on both sides.

“The peer-mentorship and training from the STORYHIVE Voices program has been superb. We’ve learned a lot, and also seen how their guidance has evolved and developed over the years. It’s wonderful,” Bev says.

Her advice for other creators considering applying to STORYHIVE is similar to her advice to patients working to improve their mental health while living in remote communities: reach out.

“We’re not designed to be isolated. It takes a village to improve our mental health, and if you feel disconnected, take control! Step outside and meet your neighbour,” she says. “For people considering applying to STORYHIVE, I say go for it, and certainly utilize the support and training available. Don’t be afraid to reach out — they’re responsive and so good about finding answers. Get ready to ask a lot of questions, and explore!”

Making an impact in BC and Alberta for a decade

STORYHIVE’s impact in the last 10 years includes distributing over $52 million in production funding, supporting 1,100+ screen based projects to be produced, over 10,000 hours of robust training and one-on-one mentorship. STORYHIVE has also supported 270+ communities across BC and Alberta. Through innovative programs they provide production funding, training, mentorship and distribution on TELUS Optik TV and online platforms. STORYHIVE remains committed to supporting and empowering the next generation of Canadian content creators and storytellers.

STORYHIVE couldn’t do this work alone; it takes an entire community of organisations and diverse community voices to help deliver these first rate programs. Many remarkable organisations, partners, team members and individuals have contributed to the growth and development of STORYHIVE programs over the years.

Learn more at STORYHIVE.com/anniversary.

4 ways to celebrate a decade of local storytelling with STORYHIVE!

Learn more about the impact that STORYHIVE has made in your community at STORYHIVE.com/anniversary.