step 1
Use these prompts to help craft your unique story.
Storytelling Tips
Be a Big Voice for Little Kids!
Babies can’t speak for themselves, but you can speak out! Your story and your expertise matter.
Change starts with you! Facts and data are important, but stories show the real-world impact behind the numbers. Your story makes the issues real for lawmakers and the public. You can shift hearts and minds by illustrating the stakes, and your story creates urgency for action.
Here are some tips and techniques to share your experiences in ways that connect with decision-makers and inspire change.
Your story should be clear, compelling and focused.
- Who you are: Introduce yourself and your family, sharing details to build a connection.
- What happened: Describe the challenge or barrier you faced, personally or in your work with families, and share what it felt like both emotionally and practically.
- Who it impacted: Say a couple of words about who it impacted, to make it personal. If you know a stat, feel free to share to show that the impact is widespread.
- What needs to change: Explain the solutions that would make a difference to you, your family or the people you serve, ending with an ask (e.g., please “Congress needs to fund early childhood mental health care programs” or “Tell Congress to support the Child Care for Working Families Act” – and don’t worry, ZERO TO THREE is here to help you connect your story to a policy change).
Crafting and Impactful Story
- Focused: Attention spans are short. Focus on one key challenge and keep your story brief.
- Authentic: Your emotion makes the issue real. Do your best to speak from the heart.
- Connected to values: Link your story to the issue you care about. Make a connection back to values like fairness, opportunity and community.
Uncomplicated: Avoid jargon and speak like you would to a neighbor. Keep it simple so everyone can understand.
step 2
Use your story to tell Congress to fund programs that babies and their families need to thrive.
Tips for Video Storytelling
- Have a beginning, middle, and end: Keep it short and sweet. One to two minutes is perfect.
- Restate the Question: If responding to a prompt, repeat the question, such as “One challenge I experience is…”
- Name your characters: Talk about real people, giving your audience a nugget of information that they can connect to. But remember to respect the privacy of others. Don’t share the full name or personal details of others.
- Show rather than tell: Illustrate your story with events, rather than explanations.
- Be as specific as you can: Provide a specific detail and avoid general statements to make a connection with your audience.
- Don’t shy away from emotion: People connect to stories that they can feel.
Know your last line: Just like a good piece of writing, it should be strong and impactful.
step 3
Your story is a powerful way to inspire providers, uplift parents, and support our mission.
