Hi!

Thank you for taking part in our work on storytelling for systems change.

Whether you contributed to our report or are part of our listening sessions, we at the Centre for Public Impact, Dusseldorp Forum, and Hands Up Mallee want to keep you in the loop on how this work is progressing.

In this next phase, we are listening to those in government and philanthropy who use stories in their work, and exploring what this might mean for how storytelling is used.

Listening to change is a fortnightly digest sharing what we are hearing and where we're finding inspiration. So far, we've heard:

• About the tension between quantitative data and qualitative storytelling, evaluation, and action. There is a strong bias towards quantitative data due to the perception that it is robust, reliable, and impartial.

''Stories can often sit in tension with evaluation in government.'' 
Erica Potts

• While trust in storytelling as a measurement to generate change is low, demand for harvesting “warm fuzzies” is increasing, as is their use as a marker of engagement.
• For people working to generate change through the power of community stories, it is critical to connect storyholders to storylisteners who are ready to hear stories meaningfully and ensure they have a positive impact.

As we continue our listening sessions over the coming weeks, we'll continue to gather ideas and share what we are learning about how government and philanthropy can better understand and use stories to make positive change.

Want more now? See our blog  Storytelling for systems change: Hearing stories meaningfully

Along the way, we are unearthing stories that intrigue and inspire us, hoping you’ll love them too.

📺 Watching  - Retelling the story of humans and nature

“But apart from the individual stories we tell ourselves, all of us are also taking part in larger collective stories” - Damon Gameau

📕 Reading - The power of changing narratives for systems change

“Public narratives are stories that help us understand our world. They are everywhere - in the news, in conversations, in politics and in common assumptions - informing our world views and how we make decisions.” - Stephanie Draper

🎧 Listening - ChangeMaker Chat – Voice To Parliament

“That gives us some guarantee of consistency, of self-determination over what we say on behalf of our people, of the solutions we have to offer to the unique problems in this country.” - Thomas Mayo

Do you want to add to the conversation? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Get in touch with us here.

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The Centre for Public Impact is a global not-for-profit organisation founded by the Boston Consulting Group. We serve as a learning partner for governments, public servants and the diverse network of changemakers who are leading the charge to reimagine government. We work with them to hold space to collectively make sense of the complex challenges we face and drive meaningful change through learning and experimentation.

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