Begin at the end

The Power of Storytelling for Change

For much of my career I worked in communications, helping organisations shape messages, build campaigns and reach the audiences they wanted to influence. It was rewarding work, but over time I found myself asking a different question. What if those skills could be used for something that genuinely changed people's lives?

Yes it's personal

That question became deeply personal when my family was affected by suicide. Losing my aunt changed the way I thought about communications and about the purpose of the work I wanted to do. I had spent years helping organisations find their voice in the corporate world. I wanted to use those same skills to help people whose voices had too often been overlooked.

Today my work sits at the intersection of strategic communications, storytelling and lived experience. I work with organisations that want to create change, but increasingly I also work directly with people, helping them find the confidence and the skills to tell their own stories in ways that make a genuine difference.

Deserving to be heard

Stories matter because they connect with people in ways that facts alone rarely can. We all respond with both our heads and our hearts. Whether we are designing services, shaping policy or leading organisations, the people who have lived through those experiences often understand better than anyone what needs to change. That is why lived experience deserves to be heard.

But having lived experience and being able to communicate it effectively are two very different things.

Over the past decade I have seen encouraging progress across the mental health and suicide prevention sectors. More organisations are recognising the importance of lived experience. More people are sitting on advisory groups. More strategies and policies acknowledge the need for those voices to be present.

Let's ask a different question

I think we have reached the point where we need to ask a different question.It is one thing to give someone a seat at the table. It is another to ensure they genuinely have a voice at that table.

That means supporting people to build the confidence and communication skills they need to participate fully. It also means organisations taking responsibility for developing those skills rather than simply inviting someone to tell their story when it suits a particular campaign.

Too often organisations seek lived experience because they need a powerful story to support an existing message. They invite someone to speak, share an emotional experience, strengthen the campaign and then move on.

It transforms storytelling from a one-off contribution into genuine professional development. It recognises that people with lived experience bring a different kind of expertise to the room, and that expertise deserves to be developed just as we develop every other professional capability.

Keep safe

Safe storytelling remains absolutely essential. In the mental health and suicide prevention sectors we have well-established guidelines around trauma-informed language and protecting both the storyteller and the audience. Those principles should never be compromised.

But safety alone is not enough. A story also needs purpose. One of the biggest challenges I see is that people often finish telling their story without giving the audience a clear sense of what they want them to think, feel or do next. The audience may leave feeling deeply moved, yet unsure why they have heard the story or what action is being asked of them.

Top tips

For anyone preparing to share their lived experience, I suggest starting with the ending. What do you want people to do after they have heard you speak? If you know your destination, it becomes much easier to build the journey that gets people there.

Finally, check in with yourself before agreeing to speak. Wanting to make a difference does not mean you have to share your story every time you are asked. Looking after yourself must always come first. If now is not the right time, it is perfectly acceptable to step back.

Organisations have responsibilities too.

First, they should invest in helping people become powerful storytellers, not simply safe storytellers. Second, they should treat this as genuine learning and development rather than a duty-of-care exercise. Finally, they should look honestly across their organisation and ask where lived experience is influencing decisions beyond individual campaigns.

Their contribution should not be seen as supporting someone else's expertise. It is expertise. When lived experience sits alongside clinical knowledge, operational knowledge and leadership experience, organisations make better decisions because they are drawing on the full range of perspectives that matter.

Value the investment

Ultimately, I believe storytelling for change should be recognised as part of workforce development across every helping profession. It is not an optional extra. It is a professional capability that deserves investment, support and respect.

The power of a story lies not only in the experience behind it, but in the purpose and structure that gives it meaning. That is a skill individuals can learn, organisations can nurture and our sector can continue to strengthen. When we do that well, lived experience becomes more than something we listen to. It becomes something that genuinely shapes the future.

WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

Invest in lived experience storytelling capability.

Support people to build the practical skills and confidence to share their stories with safety, purpose and impact.

“This course has prompted me to explore my story differently and with more curiosity. I feel more excited about opening the door to topics that I once felt hesitant to share.”

Powerful Storytelling with Purpose eCourse
15 interactive lessons | Organisation licences + Individual access available

Preview the first module free
borrowdalecommunications.com/storytelling