Stories Worth Telling
A Guide to Strategic and Sustainable Nonprofit Storytelling
A guide from Georgetown's Center for Social Impact Communication and the Meyer Foundation, based on a review of storytelling at more than 150 social impact organisations. It covers 5 building blocks of a story: character, trajectory, authenticity, action-oriented emotions and a hook. It then walks through a story cycle of planning, production, distribution and evaluation, and ends on building a storytelling culture. Companion checklists and tools include a culture self-assessment and a story bank guide.
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How to cite
Georgetown University Center for Social Impact Communication (2014). Stories Worth Telling: A Guide to Strategic and Sustainable Nonprofit Storytelling. https://csic.georgetown.edu/research/strategic-storytelling/stories-worth-telling/
Related in the library
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Dóchas Guide to Ethical Communications
A guide from Dóchas, the Irish network of international development and humanitarian NGOs, for anyone who produces images and stories about the people NGOs work with. It updates the 2006 Dóchas Code of Conduct on Images and Messages. It sets out 3 core values and 4 commitments: authentic representation, contributor-led stories, informed consent, and doing no harm. Each commitment has practical steps, reality-check questions and a final checklist. Signatories follow 10 minimum requirements.
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How to Write About Africa in 8 Steps
A 34-page handbook from Africa No Filter for development and NGO writers who tell stories about Africa. It sets out 8 steps: challenge unequal power relations, engage respectfully, tackle bias in hiring, address biased storytelling, use ethical guidelines and informed consent, understand the local context, avoid rushed schedules, and invest in your people. Communications teams use it to review how they gather and tell stories.
CurrentKey manual or guideFree - 9.2C121
Putting the people in the pictures first
Guidelines from Bond, the UK network for international development organisations, on gathering and using images and stories ethically. The 2024 update reviews the 2019 original and brings it in line with Bond's core values, including anti-racism, do no harm and locally led development. It addresses colonial legacies and racism in NGO imagery and adds a new resources section. A 1-page Statement of Ethical Practice comes with the full PDF.
CurrentKey manual or guideFree
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About C118 Stories Worth Telling
A person reads every message. A title, a link or a few words is enough.