As a leader in what has become a global storytelling movement, StoryCenter collaborates through online and in-person workshops with diverse partners and funders from around the world. Our decades of experience in community-based storytelling and participatory media enable us to offer high-quality consultation, training, and production services. We help organizations, communities and indviduals surface everyday stories documenting a range of issues, and facilitate community engagement with storytellers and their work.
View case studies of custom projects to see examples of what is possible, and complete the form below to begin exploring the specific story sharing methods that will best fit your vision.
Our Custom Services
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StoryCenter provides end to end support for your organization in exploring the unique relevance of storytelling practices for your particular sector. Services include:
Consultation on approaches to storytelling and narrative practice, including assessment of organizational and community needs, determination of project goals, review of best practices for recruiting diverse storytellers and developing appropriate stories, and guidance on institutional review board (IRB) requirements
Design and facilitation of community-driven, culturally appropriate planning activities
Assistance with fundraising through proposal writing and review and the development and coordination of joint donor campaigns
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Custom-designed storytelling workshops and trainings are key to what we do. We offer:
Customized digital storytelling, interview-based storytelling, and other storytelling and media-making workshops
Story-based reflective leadership retreats, team building workshops, and inquiry sessions
Comprehensive guidance on culturally relevant and inclusive participant recruitment and preparation strategies, including strategies to ensure diverse groups of storytellers
Up-to-date consultation on appropriate equipment and software
Participatory story distribution planning meetings, to engage storytellers and other key stakeholders in the development of strategies for publicly sharing their work to support education, awareness-raising, community mobilization, or policy advocacy objectives
To see our workshops in action, read a case study of our long-term partnership with the Sonke Gender Justice Network in South Africa.
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We can support you with the planning and facilitation of story sharing sessions in a range of settings:
Planning and facilitation of public community story screenings, panels, and media forums
Presentation of stories and project outcomes at conferences and symposia
Development and training of local speakers’ bureaus, for sharing stories to effect change on a range of issues
Design of museum exhibits and educational outreach programming
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We provide videography, editing, and digital post-production services, as well as guidance on social media strategies for sharing stories, including the development of story-sharing apps. Services include:
Design and implementation of web and social media strategies for sharing stories (including websites, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media tools)
Videography, editing, and digital post-production services (including translation, subtitling, and closed-captioning, where needed)
Coordination of broadcast media integration and production (including television and radio broadcast)
Development and implementation of innovative distribution methods, such as community kiosks, bus tours with audio stories, posters for story walking "tours", etc.)
Design and programming of story-sharing apps
See how our partners at the Hepatitis B Foundation are distributing stories as part of our collaborative #justB Storytelling Project.
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We offer development, design, and production services to support your organization or network in creating story compilations (print and DVD) and story-based curricula, discussion guides, and promotional materials.
Writing, design, and production of story-based curricula, discussion guides, and other print materials
Design of promotional material, posters, brochures, or other print publications, for story-based projects and programs
Design and production of customized story DVDs
End to end professional project management of writing, client review, design, and print processes
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We can work with your organization to design storytelling practices that strengthen critical-thinking, communication, reflection, and cultures of dignity and respect.
Leadership training through sharing and listening to personal stories
Staff development and team building through storytelling
Development of thematic storytelling workshops key staff or partners
Engagement and stakeholder processes to surface meaningful stories
Planning and optimizing the “future stories” of your organization or network
Read about our leadership development work with the Noyce Foundation.
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With the assistance of our network of academic partners, we offer comprehensive research and evaluation services, including:
Assessment of community needs through story sharing activities
Mapping and analysis of local issues
Evaluation of the impact on storytellers, of sharing personal stories
Evaluation of the impact on audiences and communities, of listening to stories
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We are available for a range of speaking engagements, presentations, and keynotes.
Dynamic story-based presentation that engage audience members.
Present research and panel discussions.
Previous themes have included: Why Storytelling Matters, Storytelling as a Public Health Intervention. Previous sample keynotes include: Public Health in the Rockies, Council on Medical Student Education and Pediatrics, CDC Using Storytelling for Prevention.
Values & Methods
Why Storytelling?
We help you understand and measure how sharing stories from your organization or community can effect change across individual, community, and policy levels.
Collaborative Process
We listen deeply, as we work with you to design and implement your project in story facilitation. Our depth of experience enables us to quickly assess local needs and offer timely and effective solutions.
What We Believe
We believe in the transformative power of story and understand its critical role in building a more just and healthy world. Every aspect of our work is guided by this belief.
Ethical Considerations
We recognize that the ethical issues arising within each project are unique. Our recommendations for ethical practice in story facilitation ensure the safety and dignity of participants worldwide.
The following core values inspire and inform everything we do:
Deep Listening. We believe that listening deeply is essential to creating meaningful change for individuals and communities. We approach our storytelling work with love, self-awareness, and a recognition of the dignity of all people.
Integrity. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and honesty. We strive to build strong and enduring relationships within our organization and with our partners, stakeholders, and community of storytellers.
Respect. We value and honor the diversity of perspectives, culture, and backgrounds that make up our organization and the communities we serve. We recognize that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and that each person has something valuable to contribute.
Creativity. We believe in the power of innovation and curiosity. By embracing new ideas, methods, tools, and storytelling approaches, we constantly seek better ways to , and provide spaces that foster creative ownership and agency in the communities and individuals we serve.
Compassion. We are committed to empathy and compassion in all of our interactions, both internally as an organization, and externally in our work with diverse communities. We recognize the need to treat people with care and kindness.
Social Justice Commitment. We are committed to equity, diversity, inclusion, and fairness in all of our work. We firmly believe in the importance of addressing systemic inequalities.
Cooperation. We understand that change and growth are only possible through collaboration and cooperation. We engage flexibly with each other and with external partners, building bridges and forging alliances across sectors and disciplines.
Humility. We see ourselves as part of a larger storytelling community, and our efforts as part of long-standing movements for change. We view cultural humility as the foundation of effective partnerships and the key to building strong, resilient, and sustainable communities.