“We are all storytellers,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson. But where do stories start? And why does storytelling matter? Freelance writer Mark O’Loughlin’s experience working with charities led him to discover a passion for writing and telling other people’s stories.
How my story started
After working and volunteering in the charity sector for ten different charities during the past decade, I can see clearly they all have one thing in common. They all rely on storytelling to raise vital funds, campaign and inform others about the essential services they provide. Whether they’re there to support people experiencing homelessness or living with cancer or type 1 diabetes, they all need stories and, of course, storytellers.
When I started working in the charity sector as a trusts and grants fundraiser, I mostly relied on the stories already gathered by the communications team. It was a small charity providing information, advice and peer support to single parents, and they didn’t have a specialist stories team (which some large charities now do). If I needed a story (or case study, as some people call them) not already available to accompany a fundraising application, I would have to do it myself.
From fundraising to storytelling
When things returned to normal after the pandemic, I decided, like a lot of people, to explore a career change. I knew that I still wanted to work within the charity sector using skills I enjoyed using, but I knew I didn’t want to write fundraising applications from home every day. I wanted to get out and meet people. I wanted to help more. When a friend sent me a link to a job as a Stories Officer with a small charity, I was curious. Instead of being a fundraiser, maybe storytelling was the kind of work I should be doing?
Since then, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with a variety of amazing charities, and I’m still learning all the time. It is indeed fascinating work and people tell me the most incredible stories.
Focusing on the storyteller
I’m aware, through experience, that you have a great responsibility to the storyteller. You should always fully explain the process and what exactly they are consenting to when they agree to talk to you and tell their story. I always tell storytellers that it is their story and not mine; they should have as much control over the process, and be as involved as they want to be, before, during and after the story-gathering process.
I’ve also discovered that what I was told by so many people is absolutely true – you need to look after yourself when you are doing this kind of work. You never know if a story someone tells you might trigger some kind of response you had not anticipated. Talking to friends, colleagues and maybe a therapist too can be helpful, as well as taking regular breaks. You really do need to look after yourself.
Empathy towards others
Stories are vitally important in helping people to feel empathy towards others, to understand the everyday challenges they face. Stories help us to make sense of a chaotic world. They remind us that we are all human and we all face challenges. After ten years of working and volunteering in the charity sector, it is obvious to me that it’s not just charities who need stories. We all do.
