How can you use volunteers' stories to enhance your advocacy efforts?

2 How to collect volunteers' stories

The first step to using volunteers' stories for advocacy is to collect them in a systematic and ethical way. You can use different methods to gather volunteers' stories, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, testimonials, or case studies. You should always ask for volunteers' consent and permission to use their stories and respect their privacy and confidentiality. You should also ensure that the stories are accurate, authentic, and representative of your volunteers' experiences and perspectives. You can use a story bank or a database to store and organize your volunteers' stories for easy access and use.

3 How to craft volunteers' stories

The next step is to craft volunteers' stories into compelling narratives that can capture your audience's attention and interest. You can use different formats and media to present your volunteers' stories, such as videos, podcasts, blogs, social media posts, newsletters, or reports. You should always tailor your stories to your audience and your purpose and use clear and simple language. You should also follow a basic structure for your stories, such as the STAR model, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. This model helps you to describe the context, the challenge, the solution, and the impact of your volunteers' stories.

4 How to share volunteers' stories

The final step is to share your volunteers' stories with your target audience and stakeholders. You can use different channels and platforms to distribute your stories, such as your website, email, social media, events, or media outlets. You should always align your stories with your advocacy goals and messages and use a call to action or a request for feedback to engage your audience and encourage them to take action or support your organization. You should also monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of your stories and how they influence your audience's attitudes, behaviors, or decisions.

5 How to involve volunteers in storytelling

One of the best ways to use volunteers' stories for advocacy is to involve them in the storytelling process and make them your ambassadors and advocates. You can train and empower your volunteers to share their own stories with their networks, communities, or policy makers and to invite others to join or support your organization. You can also recognize and appreciate your volunteers for their stories and their contributions and celebrate their achievements and impact. By involving volunteers in storytelling, you can foster a sense of ownership, belonging, and loyalty among your volunteers and strengthen your relationship with them.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?