Sharing Your Story WITH a purpose, FOR a purpose… Purposeful Sharing Workshop developed by the Ohio chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America
Sharing Your Story WITH a purpose,FOR a purpose…
Purposeful Sharing
Workshop developed bythe Ohio chapter of
Foster Care Alumni of America
Today’s Topics:
• History of Consumer/Social Movements
• Importance of Youth/Alumni Voice
• Risks and Benefits of Sharing Your Story
• Planning Ahead About What to Disclose, and What to Keep Private
• Avoiding Being Misrepresented or Misunderstood
Consumer & Social Movements•Civil rights movement
•Women’s suffrage
•Disability rights
•Faith movements
•GLBTQ
Where Was Your Voice?
•Design
•Delivery
•Evaluation
Foster Care Movement
•Youth in Care Network
•California Youth Connection
•Statewide youth advisory boards
•Foster Care Alumni of America
•International foster care movement
National Network
•Connect
•Transform
•Change the odds
•Nothing about us, without us
Risks of sharing our personal stories
Benefits to sharing:
Reclaim, reframe
Power of stories
How much of your story should you share?
Self Disclosure
Being Misrepresented or Misperceived
Double-bind:
The very thing that makes us credible…
“I am not a tragedy”
Not defined by what happened to me
Talking to the media
“If It Bleeds, It
Leads”
Drew Barrymore syndrome
• Judgment• Pity• Retaliation• Predators• Stereotype• Stigma
Purposeful sharing
Sharing Effectively
• What do you want to accomplish?
• What meaning did this experience have for you?
• Share Best Practices and success stories (not just horror stories)
• Tell your story from a place of strength, not blame
Be Prepared
• Do your research• Decide what you will
and won’t share• Narrow your topic • Outline the main points• Know the statistics• Practice and rehearse• Focus on: hook, closing
Be Professional
• Dress the part• Poise• Preparation• No candy• Be united• Treat others with
respect
If you feel nervous
• Before: Excitement and fear affect the body in the same way!
• After: Physiological let-down: recuperate afterwards
During the event
• Focus on what you want to achieve
• Make eye contact• Pay attention to your
breathing• Use visuals• “I would like to tell you a
story”
(Tell the audience to close their eyes)
Back-up Plan
- If your emotions show through..
- If someone asks you a question that you aren’t comfortable sharing…
Handling Q & A
• Repeat the question
• “That’s a good question”
• Generalize to the BIG picture, if too personal
• Experts in the room
What’s foster care like from
YOUR point of
view???
Choose – Connect - Claim
Source: Voices of Youth
Source: Honoring Emancipated Youth
Youth Serving Agencies Youth Led Agencies
Youth are viewed as the recipients of programs, services, tools and resources.
Youth act as developers , facilitators and evaluators of programs and services.
Youth are showcased as a “Success Story” to promote a program.
Youth act as agency representatives, and promote positive impact to community.
Youth receive pre-packaged issues and topics.
Youth have the opportunity to research multiple issues and decide on final projects
Youth do not receive formal education or training about advocacy movements and systemic change.
Youth receive strategic education and training about advocacy and its impact on larger social issues and systems.