What We Do

Write Around Portland:

Provides high quality, skillfully facilitated writing workshops in safe, accessible and respectful environments for people to write and share in community
Holds community readings to promote the exchange of stories
Publishes anthologies to connect writers and readers

Write Around Portland Workshops & Philosophies

Write Around Portland provides high quality, creative and unique writing workshops, which are participant-centered and are based on experiential learning. Our workshops run for 8-10 weeks, 2 hours per week. The workshop curriculum focuses on both generating new writing and developing the writing or revision and supports flexibility to meet the particular needs and interests of a given workshop group.

Volunteer workshop facilitators participate in a 27 hour intensive training on Write Around Portland's values and philosophies, key concepts of facilitation, including creation of a safe community in which to write and share, and practice modeling successful, creative workshop facilitation.

In our workshops, facilitators write alongside participants through a series of freewrites and positive feedback. Workshop participants write stories, poems, memoirs, letters, essays while experimenting with imagery, character development, writing in different voices, dialogue and poetry/line breaks. Participants have the opportunity to share their writing and give and receive positive feedback to grow as writers and build respectful community.

The Workshops

Write Around Portland has facilitated more than 370 creative writing workshops, unleashing the creative power of more than 2,400 adults and youth by helping them access the literary arts and community. The workshops meet two hours per week for ten weeks. To ensure that everyone in our city has access to the power of writing in community, writing journals, pens, bus tickets, childcare and snacks are provided.

Write Around Portland's workshops are facilitated by highly-trained volunteers with a passion for writing and an ability to nurture and engage participants in the writing process. Over 190 volunteers have completed the training.

The Readings

Workshop participants share their writing with the city at community readings, more than 100 to date. These readings promote respect for diverse groups and provide an opportunity to hear the powerful stories of gifted writers who are people affected by mental illness, drug or alcohol addiction, HIV/AIDS, low income seniors, women in domestic violence situations, youth who are homeless. Few Portland events include so many diverse voices. Visit our Events page for more information on workshop readings.

The Anthologies

Write Around Portland has published and sold 29 anthologies of participant writing at the end of the workshops. These professionally-produced anthologies provide participants – many for the first time – the opportunity and satisfaction to see their words in print, while providing the public the opportunity to read the powerful stories and diverse voices of these important writers. Visit our Publications and Writers page for more information on our anthologies and where to find them.

Write Around Portland Partner organizations for writing workshops

Write Around Portland has provided writing workshops in collaboration with more than 140 social service agencies, community organizations, the state, county and public schools serving specific populations, such women fleeing domestic violence, youth who are homeless, people with mental or physical disabilities and adults in recovery from drug/alcohol addictions. Partner organizations provide workshop space and recruit participants.

We also hold "open" workshops for adults living on a low income and/or with a disability and a special workshop called "Write On: Returning Writers" for adults who have participated in 2-3 previoius workshops. After completing Write On, participants are invited to write together in community in a self-faciliated group called "Seasoned Writers," which is held in the Write Around Portland writers' resource room.


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TAKE A Writing Workshop SIGN UP for Write Around Portland News WRITING RESOURCES	What We Do Write Around Portland: Provides high quality, skillfully facilitated writing workshops in safe, accessible and respectful environments for people to write and share in community Holds community readings to promote the exchange of stories Publishes anthologies to connect writers and readers Write Around Portland Workshops & Philosophies Write Around Portland provides high quality, creative and unique writing workshops, which are participant-centered and are based on experiential learning. Our workshops run for 8-10 weeks, 2 hours per week. The workshop curriculum focuses on both generating new writing and developing the writing or revision and supports flexibility to meet the particular needs and interests of a given workshop group. Volunteer workshop facilitators participate in a 27 hour intensive training on Write Around Portland's values and philosophies, key concepts of facilitation, including creation of a safe community in which to write and share, and practice modeling successful, creative workshop facilitation. In our workshops, facilitators write alongside participants through a series of freewrites and positive feedback. Workshop participants write stories, poems, memoirs, letters, essays while experimenting with imagery, character development, writing in different voices, dialogue and poetry/line breaks. Participants have the opportunity to share their writing and give and receive positive feedback to grow as writers and build respectful community. The Workshops Write Around Portland has facilitated more than 370 creative writing workshops, unleashing the creative power of more than 2,400 adults and youth by helping them access the literary arts and community. The workshops meet two hours per week for ten weeks. To ensure that everyone in our city has access to the power of writing in community, writing journals, pens, bus tickets, childcare and snacks are provided. Write Around Portland's workshops are facilitated by highly-trained volunteers with a passion for writing and an ability to nurture and engage participants in the writing process. Over 190 volunteers have completed the training. The Readings Workshop participants share their writing with the city at community readings, more than 100 to date. These readings promote respect for diverse groups and provide an opportunity to hear the powerful stories of gifted writers who are people affected by mental illness, drug or alcohol addiction, HIV/AIDS, low income seniors, women in domestic violence situations, youth who are homeless. Few Portland events include so many diverse voices. Visit our Events page for more information on workshop readings. The Anthologies Write Around Portland has published and sold 29 anthologies of participant writing at the end of the workshops. These professionally-produced anthologies provide participants – many for the first time – the opportunity and satisfaction to see their words in print, while providing the public the opportunity to read the powerful stories and diverse voices of these important writers. Visit our Publications and Writers page for more information on our anthologies and where to find them. Write Around Portland Partner organizations for writing workshops Write Around Portland has provided writing workshops in collaboration with more than 140 social service agencies, community organizations, the state, county and public schools serving specific populations, such women fleeing domestic violence, youth who are homeless, people with mental or physical disabilities and adults in recovery from drug/alcohol addictions. Partner organizations provide workshop space and recruit participants. We also hold "open" workshops for adults living on a low income and/or with a disability and a special workshop called "Write On: Returning Writers" for adults who have participated in 2-3 previoius workshops. After completing Write On, participants are invited to write together in community in a self-faciliated group called "Seasoned Writers," which is held in the Write Around Portland writers' resource room. Interested in holding a Write Around Portland workshop at your agency or organization? Click here for more information. Drug & Alcohol Recovery CODA Alpha Family Treatment Center Multnomah County Londer Learning Center/DePaul Treatment Center Multnomah County Project Network VOA Men's Residential Center HIV/AIDS Cascade AIDS Project HIV Day Center, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon Camp Starlight Rosewood Apartments Quest Center for Integrative Health Our House/Neighborhood Housing and Care Program/Swan House Mental Health Cascadia Behavioral Health Care - Renaissance, New Mezz, Community Connectors Club 53 Folk Time Veterans living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Thought Auction New Renaissance Mental Health Center Sequoia Community Mental Health (formerly Homestreet Banyan Tree) Consumer Voices are Born (CVAB) Mental Health Action Group - First Unitarian Church of Portland Oregon State Hospital Health Care and Services for People with Disabilities Kaiser Permanente Severe Obesity Management Group Independent Living Resources Quest Center for Integrative Health Project Quest Arquette Cancer Center Legacy Emanuel Burn Concern Hospice of Washington County Disability Resources of Southwest Washington Providence St. Vincent Integrated Cancer Center On-the-Move Community Integration Willamette Falls Hospice Self-Determination Resources, Inc. Low Income Housing & Social Services Central City Concern – Danmoore, Hatfield Multnomah County, Clara Vista Family Resource Center Volunteers of America, Marie Smith Center Housing Authority of Portland – Hollywood East, Unthank Plaza, Williams Plaza, Sellwood Center, Gallagher Plaza, Dahlke Manor, New Columbia, Holgate House, Maple Mallory and NW Towers, Sellwood Center, Ruth Haefner Plaza REACH Community Development Corporation - Ritzdorf, Powell Boulevard and Wilshire Apartments William Temple House – North and NW Park Terrace Apartments, Portland Community Reinvestment Initiative, Inc. Human Solutions Portland Impact Catholic Charities Maybelle Clark MacDonald Center Alder House Innovative Housing, Inc. (IHI) - Musolf Manor and Broadway Vantage Apartments Rose Community Development/Leander Court Apartments The Giving Tree St. James Lutheran Church Youth LifeWorks NW - LeoNiLeo LifeWorks NW New Avenues for Youth p:ear St. Mary's Home for Boys YO! Center Helensview High School Multnomah County Juvenile Services - RAD Unit Multnomah County Donald E. Long Juvenile Detentional Facility Youth Employment Institute Youth Builders I Have a Dream Foundation YWCA Smart Choices Program DePaul Treatment Center Dougy Center North Portland Youth & Family Center Centennial Learning Center Powerhouse Mentors Portland OIC/Rosemary Anderson High School Jackson SUN School - Neighborhood House, Inc. Girl Scouts Beyond Bars Girl Scouts Columbia River Council Hispanic Initiative Cascade AIDS Project Kids' Connection Human Solutions Arbor Glen Teen Club New Columbia Youth Group Powerhouse Mentors NELA: Center for Student Access Po'Shines/Teach Me To Fish Janus Youth Services Bridge House LEP High School Timber Lake Job Corps Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Intersex, Transgender, Queer Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC) Elder Resource Alliance/Friendly House Senior Services Transgender Group Homelessness/Transitional Housing Dignity Village JOIN Jean's Place Street Roots Julia West House Sisters of the Road Multicultural services Hispanic Access Center Oregon Council for Hispanic Advancement Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRC0) Native American Youth Association North Portland Youth and Family Center Clara Vista Common Bond Girl Scouts Hispanic Initiative/El Programa de Iniciativa Hispana de Girl Scouts Rigler SUN School Domestic Violence West Women's and Children's Center Raphael House YWCA Transitional Opportunities Project YWCA Clark County Volunteers of America - Family Center Portland Women's Crisis Line Prisons/Jails/Post-Incarceration State of Oregon, Coffee Creek Correctional Facility - Minimum & Medium Security State of Oregon, Columbia River Correctional Institution Multnomah County Correctional Facility Multnomah County Inverness Jail Multnomah County Restitution Center Girl Scouts Beyond Bars Community Centers and Other Groups Zimmerman Community Center Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN Schools), Portland Public Schools – Roosevelt, Marshall, Portsmouth, Tubman, Rigler, Clarendon, Gilbert Park Portland Parks and Recreation Dishman Community Center Reflections Cafe Brentwood Darlington Center Neighborhood Pride Team Families of Military Service members in Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns Seniors Urban League of Portland Multi-Cultural Senior Center Volunteers of America, Velma Joy Bernie Center and Lambert House East REACH/Station Place Tower Cherry Park Plaza Easter Seals Providence ElderPlace Glendoveer 917 SW Oak St. #406, Portland, OR 97205 503.796.9224 info@writearound.org	"[Write Around Portland] inspired me to listen more closely to others' stories and share what we have in common...it's very safe and energizing." - Marisa Espinoza, Workshop Participant Provide journals to 15 workshop participants.
Home \| Events \| Donate Now \| Get Involved \| Publications & Writers \| About Us

What We Do

Write Around Portland Workshops & Philosophies

The Workshops

The Readings

The Anthologies

Write Around Portland Partner organizations for writing workshops

Drug & Alcohol Recovery

HIV/AIDS

Mental Health

Health Care and Services for People with Disabilities

Low Income Housing & Social Services

Youth

Homelessness/Transitional Housing

Multicultural services

Domestic Violence

Prisons/Jails/Post-Incarceration

Community Centers and Other Groups

Seniors