StoryLens Cluj este un curs intensiv gratuit de storytelling video, desfășurat pe parcursul a două săptămâni, creat de trei studenți ucraineni care s-au mutat la Cluj-Napoca după izbucnirea războiului. Vom reuni 20–30 de tineri din Cluj (ucraineni, români și studenți internaționali) și îi vom învăța cum să își spună propriile povești în fața camerei pentru un public global. Cursul îmbină competențele echipei noastre: o actriță profesionistă va preda dicție, storytelling și încredere în fața camerei; o studentă la jurnalism va preda tehnici de scriere a scenariilor; iar împreună îi vom pregăti pe participanți în filmare și editare video. În esență, acesta este un proiect de dezvoltare personală și de încurajare a exprimării de sine: ne dorim ca fiecare participant să plece convins că povestea sa contează și că vocea sa merită să fie auzită. Fiecare participant își va publica propriul material video pe rețelele sociale, iar cursul se va încheia cu o proiecție publică, în cadrul căreia participanții și invitații vor viziona împreună toate poveștile realizate.

We address young people aged 19-24 in Cluj: Ukrainian students and young refugees, Romanian and international students. Many young professionals, artists and students carry powerful stories but feel ashamed to publish their own content, believing nobody needs it and that they lack the skills. Fear of the camera and self-doubt keep their stories untold. Some also lack equipment: the camera purchased through this grant gives a chance to those who want to film but have no good smartphone camera. Our course answers these needs with practical skills (speaking on camera, scriptwriting, filming, editing) and with empowerment: the conviction that their story truly matters. The shared creative activity will encourage participants to connect more closely, bringing all three groups together. For Ukrainians abroad this is especially important: they can tell their story first-hand, not through the news, but as the real truth of real people.

Direct effect: 20-30 young people gain concrete, lasting skills (public speaking and diction, storytelling, scriptwriting, filming and editing) that they can use in studies, work and civic life. They overcome fear of the camera and, most importantly, leave empowered, with the confidence and motivation that their experiences are worth sharing and their voice can reach a global audience. Wider effect: each published video is expected to reach around 500 views, so 10,000-15,000 people will hear authentic stories of young people in Cluj, including stories of Ukrainians rebuilding their lives here, stories that build empathy and counter stereotypes. Community effect: the course creates real friendships between Ukrainian, Romanian and international youth, strengthening integration and intercultural dialogue in the city. The final screening becomes a public celebration of these voices. Long-term, participants keep creating content, and the format can be repeated with new groups.

Four intensive workshops over two weeks (2 per week), plus a final event. Workshop 1, Your story matters: empowerment session on the value of participants' own experiences; diction exercises, presence training and overcoming camera fear, led by our professional actress; storytelling basics. Workshop 2, Your script: finding and shaping a personal story, story arcs, writing a short video script, led by our journalism student. Everyone leaves with a finished script. Workshop 3, Filming: camera work, framing, light and sound; group filming at locations around Cluj using the project camera and participants' phones. Workshop 4, Editing: hands-on editing (mobile and desktop), subtitles, social media formats. Between sessions participants film their stories, with full access to all project equipment and our mentors whenever needed, even on non-workshop days. Each participant publishes their video on social media, and we close with a public screening at ZBOR Hub with invited guests.

We will promote the course through: (1) Instagram and TikTok: a dedicated project page with short teaser videos made by our team, demonstrating exactly the skills we teach; (2) Ukrainian community channels in Cluj (Telegram and Facebook groups, community organisations); (3) university channels: student associations, international student offices (UBB, UTCN, UMF), Erasmus networks; (4) ZBOR Hub's own community and partner network; (5) posters in universities, cafes and community spaces. During the course, participants' own published videos become the strongest promotion: each story carries the project hashtag and reaches their audiences. The final screening will be a public event promoted city-wide, and we will document the whole process to share results with the Com'ON community.