YLYS is a small charity, with plans to become a registered charity when funds permit that brings adults who have experienced, or continue to experience, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE's) and Adverse Adulthood Experiences (AAE's) and caregivers together together with published, authors, poets, playwrights and artist to learn the techniques of storytelling through the arts.

Participants develop a diverse range of creative skills, that can be utilised in expressing their story, their way using a huge array of creative mediums (writing, painting, illustrating, sculpting, drama, singing and song-writing, pottery, education, poetry, TV, stage and film) to enable those with ACE's and AAE's to express their own individual stories, in their own words, through the creative medium of their choice, as a part of, and means of enhancing, the therapeutic experience, and the road to personal reconciliation and recovery, where this is a specific and determined aim of the participant.

Therapy in the traditional sense of the word, is not the primary aim, but more a by-product of the YLYS event and inclusion process, but we do embrace it, and where appropriate, encourage it where it is deemed appropriate and beneficial to individuals participating in our events. To this end, YLYS benefits from the freely given services of a clinical psychologist who provides pastoral support to the group.

I have looked after children in care for over 40 years and have witnessed first hand the harm caused by Adverse expeirences and experienced the benefit of this life changing event. That is why I am asking you to support my efforts to raise funds for 4th annual Your Life Your Story event which takes place at Lancaster University 16to to 18th October 2020.