Stories are a powerful means of communication.
As Dan Allendar put it: “Your story has power in your own life, and it has power and meaning to bring to others.”
Here is a short how-to guide for collecting your organisation’s stories.
Stories are a powerful means of communication. As Dan Allendar put it: “Your story has power in your own life, and it has power and meaning to bring to others.”
Set clear objectives: Begin by understanding why you’re collecting these stories. Is it to raise awareness, garner support, or to record the impact of your work? Having clear objectives will guide the types of stories you’re looking for.
Identify story sources: Look within your organisation for potential stories. Beneficiaries, volunteers, staff, and donors can all be rich sources of impactful narratives.
Develop a story collection framework: Create a structured approach to gathering stories. This might include interviews, surveys, focus groups, or storytelling workshops. Make sure your questions are open-ended to encourage detailed responses.
Train your team: Equip your team with the skills to collect stories effectively. They should know how to conduct empathetic interviews and understand the ethical considerations of storytelling, including consent and privacy.
Create a safe space: When collecting stories, especially those that are personal or sensitive, it’s crucial to create a safe and trusting environment. Assure storytellers that their narratives will be treated with respect and dignity.
Document the stories: Record the stories in a way that best suits your objective. This could be through written testimonials, video recordings, audio interviews, or even photographs.
Organise and store the stories: Develop a system to organise the collected stories. Categorise them based on themes, impact, or any other system that aligns with your organisational goals. Ensure they are stored securely and are easily accessible for future use.
Review and curate: Not all stories will align with your objectives. Review the collected stories and curate them according to your strategic goals. Look for powerful narratives that truly encapsulate your organisation’s impact and values.
Share the stories responsibly: When sharing stories, always do so with the storytellers’ consent and in a way that honours their experiences. Stories should be shared in a way that aligns with your objectives and amplifies your organisation’s mission.
Evaluate and adapt: After sharing the stories, evaluate the response and impact. Use this feedback to adapt and refine your story collection process for the future.
By following this guide, you will be positioned to collect and harness the power of their organisation’s stories to further their mission, connect with supporters, and make a lasting impact.