CharityFocus Using Storytelling to Inspire Action

A volunteer-run organization is using real-life stories to inspire people to be the change they want to see in the world.

Founded in 1999, CharityFocus has more than four websites dedicated to storytelling through different mediums that include video, news articles and discussion groups. Each story includes at least one recommended action for the reader to take based on the context of the story.

CharityFocus board member and co-ordinator Trishna Shah says the websites have become popular as people recognize the value of receiving more than just inspirational stories, but instead real-life experiences they can use to drive meaningful change in the world around them.

"It sparks something within people and it moves them. Even if they don’t do something per say, their way of thinking and their way of looking at the world slowly starts to shift with time," says Shah, who adds this differs from self-help literature, which is often based on theory.

For example, a reader of the DailyGood, which features an inspiring quote, a related good-news story, and a simple action sent through daily e-mails, sent a message to CharityFocus, sharing how reading the stories contributed to a complete transformation of his father.

Describing his father as a negative person, the son decided to begin reading and discussing the DailyGood stories with his dad to help change his perception.

"He wrote to us after he'd been doing this for a period of time and said, 'You probably don't realize that this one small e-mail you send out every day has completely changed my relationship with my dad, and I am seeing this complete transformation in my dad from being such a negative person to actually being able to see the world with a little bit of optimism.'"

Shah adds this is one example of many received — DailyGood has 100,000 subscribers.

While the main goal of the stories is to inspire personal change, Shah adds the storytelling process also builds community, which further enhances peoples’ motivation to act.

On the HelpOthers website, members are able to join discussion groups and share their stories of receiving and giving random acts of kindness.

Shah says this site has 11,000 members and is bringing people together through the option to post comments after reading the story. More than 56,000 comments have been left, and in the process, relationships built.

"It's so interesting to see that these people actually become friends with one another through this totally anonymous way of interacting with each other. And they really support each other in terms of doing acts of kindness in their lives," says Shah.

"Often people share stories about how this person did this, which inspired me to do this, and literally you can see how one thing leads to another."

To learn more about CharityFocus and its websites, click here.

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