Build and practice your message

Now that you have identified your audience, you are ready to work on your storytelling – develop, frame and practice your message. Defining your message, framing your message, and practicing sharing your message is crucial before you start communicating.

Storytelling is an important tool in the artillery of an advocate. A powerful story builds empathy, facilitates understanding, and creates a long-lasting imprint in the minds and hearts of your audience. Catalyst Miami uses storytelling as a way to push critical issues forward and fight for justice in our communities. The following training was developed by Catalyst Miami to help you become an effective advocate.

What makes a good story?

A good story has three components. Keep these in mind as you develop and share your story.

Challenge:

Why did you feel it was a challenge? What was so challenging about it? Why was it your challenge?

Choice:

Why did you make the choice you did? Where did you get the courage (or not)? Where did you get the hope (or not)? How did it feel?

Outcome:

How did the outcome feel? Why did it feel that way? What did it teach you? What do you want to teach us? How do you want us to feel?

The story of SELF, US, and NOW

The story of SELF, US, and NOW template will help guide you as you develop your story. The story of SELF is your call to leadership. The story of US is shared values and experiences. The story of NOW is your strategy and action. The story of SELF, US and NOW is deeply interconnected by purpose, community, and sense of urgency to act.

The story of SELF:
Call to leadership

What experiences and values call you to take leadership? What are your sources of calling? Consider your family and childhood, life decisions, challenges, and decisions, maybe role models or experience organizing. What critical choice points can you recall? What stories can you tell about these points in your life?

Focus on ONE key story or event. Your goal here is to tell a story that evokes our shared values as your audience and shows why we in particular are called to take responsibility for action now.

EXAMPLE: ORAL HEALTH PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The members of the Committee feel called to take leadership as a result of their experiences with the Florida Medicaid Dental Health Program.

One of the members recalls not being able to find a regular source of dental care for her child who has Autism. Her child’s dentist left Medicaid and she was not notified. She found out at the dental office after she drove 40 minutes to her child’s regularly scheduled preventive visit. She’s had hard time finding a dentist that accept Medicaid let along feels comfortable treating a child with special health care needs.

The story of US:
Shared values and shared experiences

Who is the US you are calling to join? What community, organization, movement, culture, or other group do you consider yourself to be a part of? What common past do you share? What common future do you share? What common goals and values do share with this community?

A story of us works if people identify with each other on behalf of values that inspire them to act.

The members of the committee are part of a larger community of parents and caretakers in the state of Florida who access dental care for their children through Medicaid.

The members share similar experiences, perceptions, challenges and barriers when trying to access dental care through Medicaid. Many of these experiences are captured in the Institute’s Oral Health Services Consumer Engagement Report (link the report here)

The members share a common future of working together to ensure that Medicaid-enrolled children and their families have a voice and an opportunity to shape the services that they receive. The common goal is to increase access to regular, quality dental care for Medicaid-enrolled children by strengthening Medicaid consumer access and utilization.

The story of NOW:
Strategy and action

What URGENT challenge are you calling us into?
What VISION can we achieve?
What ACTION can we take?

What are the actions we can make right here, right now, with what we have, to move in the direction we want to go?

The committee members have a vision that every child in Florida has the dental care they need to thrive.

The members have outlined an action based on the current needs of Medicaid-enrolled families:

Development of an accurately and regularly updated directory of Medicaid participating dental providers.

The committee plays a crucial role in advocating for families and ensuring equitable access to quality oral health services for children served by state Medicaid program.

Practice your story of SELF, US, and NOW

What you say…and how clearly you say it…in what will often amount to just a few minutes…might determine whether you capitalize on the opportunity or lose a chance to secure support. This is why you must practice, practice, practice! Use this template to develop your narrative and take time to practice. This template is also available as a quick download for easy printing and distribution.

Florida Dental Access Guide