Stories, both personal and traditional, can help us imagine new ways of doing things when we can’t think of any options but the ones that keep failing, writes storyteller Dan Yashinsky. He shares a few examples.
Philanthropy is a natural habitat for storytelling, Dan Yashinky writes. An organization’s companion stories can communicate, chronicle, and celebrate the compassion and thoughtfulness inherent in this work.
Communications work is a core component of organizational trust, Chioma Orji argues, but is often treated as an afterthought in organizations with limited capacity. She introduces the “trust visibility model” and breaks down how even small teams can build sustainable communications systems.
As non-profits consider how to strengthen capacity for the future, communications warrants attention at the executive level. It isn’t something to deploy at the end of a process; it’s a strategic lever in how trust is built, tested, and sustained from the start.
By integrating ethical storytelling into their fundraising and communications practices, organizations can build trust, celebrate complexity, and restore dignity, Tanya Rumble says.
For Claire Nest, trust is the key to working well with illustrators – and impact is the result.
Maïa Faddoul’s bright colours, cheerful patterns, and uplifting depictions of human courage and connection are often in the service of community and rights organizations.
Illustrator and anthropologist Julien Posture discusses how human misunderstanding and machine learning devalue creative labour.
