Stories are powerful tools for increasing awareness, gaining support, and generating commitment. Not everyone understands statistics, but we can all relate to personal stories. A story can often communicate the need for action and the reasons for success more quickly and forcefully than any number of analytical reports or policy documents.
Sharing success stories can help your group celebrate its triumphs and inspire other groups to tackle the issue of making recreation safe from abuse and harassment.
- Captures people's attention quickly and economically
- Builds credibility
- Establishes rapport
- Because stories are people-centred, they invite us to listen well, encouraging understanding and respect
- Brings people closer together
- Engages, inspires connections, questions and creative applications
- Helps internalize the message so it is remembered
- Explains complex situations
- Offers a 'safe' framework for emotional issues
- Increases communication skills
Use success stories to:
- Provide powerful first-hand information for media releases
- Add impact to presentations and materials to build awareness, understanding and partnerships
- Provide examples of what other communities face and how they've developed
How to Use Stories
- Keep a story file - gather, track and analyze organization stories.
- Tell crafted or carefully selected stories to inspire action and convey information.
- Create forums where stories are a priority.
- Educate people on the power of narrative thinking
- Choose stories that mimic aspects of the issue you wish to address.
- Tell stories from the perspective of a single protagonist who is in a predicament that reflects the issue.
- Be simple and brief.
- To ignite change, tell stories with 'happy endings'.
- Tell it from the heart.
- Avoid statements and prescriptions.
- Ask questions that you are truly curious about.
- Recount a similar personal story, or other tale, that comes to mind when listening to the stories of others.