P3: EXPRESSING YOUR IMPACT THROUGH STORYTELLING: HOW TO WRITE AN ENGAGING TALE

FACILITATOR: SARAH MCCOY

SPEAKER: CRAIG TOMLINSON, BBC CHILDREN IN NEED

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Participants have a better understanding of what an impact story is and the benefits of telling a good one

Participants can describe the elements of a good impact story

Participants feel more confident to use both qualitative and quantitative information to tell their own story

Participants have new ideas for how to communicate their impact

SESSION OBJECTIVES

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WHAT IS AN IMPACT STORY?

OUR IMPACT STORY

IN THE UK TODAY…

• 3.7 million children are living in relative poverty• 950,000 disabled children and young people

aged 18 years and under• Nearly one in five young people aged 11 to 17

have experienced high levels of abuse or neglect

• Every 22 minutes, the mother or father of someone under 16 dies

• There are at least 49,000 children and young people living with a life limiting or threatening condition

• There are approximately 244,000 children or young people caring for a loved one

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OUR WORK

Every child in the UK has a safe, happy and secure childhood and the chance to reach their potential

We will achieve this by supporting, promoting and publicising work that addresses the challenges that children and young people face and work that builds their skills and resilience

THE VISION

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OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

• So far the British public and Children in Need partners have helped to raise over £740 million

• We currently support 2,657 active projects to the value of £122,320,387

• In 2014 our grants helped to change the lives of 480,000 children and young people in the UK

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OF THIS 480,000…

• 38% raised their self esteem and became more confident

• 21% enhanced existing or gained new skills• 20% experienced positive changes in their

emotional wellbeing• 14% improved their relationships with their

families or carers• 12% improved their engagement with

education or employment

WHEELS TO WORKLAUREN’S STORY

“It’s given me a sense of

independence and it’s great not to have to rely on someone else to get places.

I hope to study paramedic science at

university.”

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STICK N STEP

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REUBAN’S STORY

“Everyone was so supportive and positive – it was all about what Reuben could do, not

what he couldn’t do.”

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WHAT MAKES A GOOD IMPACT STORY?

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• CONTEXT: Set the scene for your audience; help them understand your characters’ history and experience.

• NARRATIVE: A story has a beginning (engagement), a middle (your work), an end (the difference you make).

• CHARACTERS: Introduce and develop the people who are involved in and affected by your work

• ENGAGE AND INSPIRE: Help your audience relate to your characters and cause with emotive language and detail of individual cases.

• SCALE: Demonstrate the magnitude of your work with numbers and statistics.

• APPROPRIATE LENGTH: Be concise and to the point so your ‘readers’ make it to the final page.

• ACCESSIBLE: A story should be a pleasure to read, not a chore. Don’t make your audience work too hard.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD IMPACT STORY

FROM A FUNDER’S PERSPECTIVE…

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IMPACT MEASUREMENT AND REFLECTION IS IMPORTANT

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• Need proportional expectations• Be realistic in what you achieve• Be honest in what you report• Stories of impact include narrative and

numbers

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WHY ARE STORIES IMPORTANT TO US?

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• Children in Need tell stories to show our funding is worthwhile – “Humans are wired to respond to stories.”

• We actively collect stories from: applications, reports and visits (also like unsolicited stories)

• Grantees are getting better at telling stories (as are we)

• A grantee’s impact story shows understanding

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IN SUMMARY..

A good impact story is like an extended elevator pitch The debate about numbers or narrative is can be seen

as largely redundant It doesn’t have to be an academic paper to be credible

and engaging Don’t make your audience try too hard

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QUESTIONS?

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www.ces-vol.org.uk

Tel: 020 7520 3150 Email: ces@ncvo.org.uk

BBC Children in Needwww.bbc.co.uk/pudsey

Email: craig.tomlinson@bbc.co.uk

KEEP IN TOUCH

THANK YOU

Please remember to complete and hand in your evaluation forms

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