The Individuals/Storytellers
Storytelling provides an opportunity for individuals to share their experiences and to elevate their voice. While storytelling can be therapeutic, storytelling can also bring a multitude of emotions for the storyteller. If an agency is considering storytelling, there are some considerations that should be taken into account for the individual sharing their story:
- Weigh the risks versus benefits
- What are the risks of an individual sharing their story (blame, shame, confidentiality, etc.) vs. what are the benefits of an individual sharing their story (raising awareness, etc.).
- Ensure mental health supports are in place
- There may be a need to have a licensed therapist/social worker available for the participants/storyteller(s) to provide mental health support.
- Allow the storytellers to determine how their stories are shared
- Have the storyteller share how they would like to have their story shared and where they are not comfortable having their story shared.
Organizations/Agencies Sharing Stories
- Determine the readiness for storytelling
- Consents and releases
- Agencies/organizations sharing stories may want to review their policies/procedures for securing consents/releases. It may be important for individuals sharing their stories to know that they can rescind their approval to share their story at any time.
- Citing stories
- Stories are first-person experiences
- First-person stories are individual experiences and may not be representative of all experiences.
- Preparing the viewer
- Depending on the nature of the story, it may be important to caution viewers/listeners of potentially triggering content.
Sources of Stories
Stories can be found in a variety of formats including, but not limited to quotes, digital stories, audio recordings, vignettes, etc. Additionally, stories can be found from a variety of sources:
- Stories in the form of quotes, vignettes, and anecdotes might be obtained through data requests. For example, Michigan Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) collects respondent responses to open ended questions and allows the public to request data through a PRAMS Data Request process.
- Contracting with an Agency that does Storytelling
- There are organizations willing to consult with individuals on storytelling. An agency may contract with one of these organizations.
Where to Incorporate Stories
Reports
Presentations
In-person events/community events
Websites
Social media campaigns
Understanding Cause-and-Effect Relationships
Seeing Patterns in Important Information
Empathizing with People
Paying Attention