Storybank How To: Guidelines for Collecting and Uploading Stories

Guidelines for Collecting and Uploading Stories

Updated February 6, 2017

 

Goal: Create a robust database of current, powerful, personal stories not only to support communications, membership, and development goals but also to support the organization’s mission.

 

Objectives:

  1. Create a searchable, controlled-access database of NEW stories that demonstrate the power and benefits of the NFB.
  2. Enable stories to be shared. (Protocols on sharing to follow.)

 

An online StoryBank form has been created and is available here (you must be logged into nfb.org):

  1. The section overview page listing submitted stories
  2. Submit a story form

Guidelines for what stories should cover:

  1. A person's first and last name—we do not need to use the name, but we want to be able to re-contact people for more details.
  2. The year and month when it was collected or happened; we are focusing on 2016 and later.
  3. It should illustrate a compelling message about what it means to be blind; e.g., the pain, struggles, joys, or power of overcoming obstacles, etc.
  4. It may demonstrate a transformative or positive effect on one's life that is linked to the work of or membership in the NFB.
  5. It is consistent with our brand architecture in some way, whether it demonstrates our brand values, personality, experience, or tagline. See nfb.org/brand for reference.
  6. Avoid program reviews or discussions of what happened at an event or training, unless it meets the above requirements.

How to Create the StoryBank Submission:

  • Provide a short, approximately 140-character, story synopsis that acts as the title.
  • Include as much detail as possible.
  • Include the names and contact information of the individuals featured.
  • Include a date.
  • Check as many classification topics as apply to your story to make it easily searchable.
  • Use these guidelines for determining the potential uses of the story:
    Blog
    Timely informational–involves a current happening that can be told in 300 words or less;
    Braille Monitor
    Has potential to become an in-depth story or series of stories–litigation around discrimination or accessibility–Aleeha Dudley for example;
    Brochures
    Shorter blurbs or quotes can be drawn to promote what we do or educate about blindness–BELL bell ringers for example;
    Fundraising
    We want to engage people’s emotions around both the problems of blindness and the help NFB affords–these can be quite short. Painful and triumphant stories work.
    Future Reflections
    Parents, teachers, blind students–longer story can be developed—Example: how we helped through mediation to gain Braille instruction;
    Newsletter
    Will help to recruit or teach about our philosophy–Example: how does our networking help?
    Podcasts
    Involves someone who could tell their story to promote an upcoming program–Example: a former winner of a scholarship talking about our scholarship program;
    Presidents’ newsletters
    • Why I am a Federationist stories.
    • How NFB resolved an issue story.
    • Things that get at people’s emotions.
    Presidential Release
    Short stories that can be told to help promote upcoming programs;
    Speeches
    Painful stories–triumphant stories; need to be simple enough to convey them orally;
    Videos
    • Why I am a Federationist.
    • Bring group stuff that can make active videos–STEM or BELL come to mind;