First Draft is Storythings’ pro-bono consultancy offer to small UK organisations, groups, networks or collectives who create change by working with under-represented communities. This could be through the work you do directly, or by indirectly empowering local communities to live better lives.
Introducing First Draft
How does it work?
Across a month, we’ll run two one-hour sessions on Wednesdays via Zoom in weeks one and two. The third week will be for those participating to work on a rough prototype, which we will give feedback on in a final and fourth hour-long session. For example, you might be looking to set up a new project within your organisation that will improve diversity, equity and inclusion and you need support in developing your story. Or you might be working with a local community and want to bring attention to the brilliant projects they are doing. We’ll help you break down your goals, discuss ideas that might help you talk about your work in a way that others can get on board with, and guide you in how to make those formats.
Who we’re looking to help
- Applications are open to UK companies, small networks or collectives that have been around for two years or less
- Your annual turnover should be less than £100k
- The work you are doing should be towards affecting positive change – this could be through your defined mission, or those you help
- You must have a clearly defined problem around storytelling, content or comms
- We’re actively seeking applications from groups who are looking to create change by working with under-represented communities
- You must be available to participate in the sessions, held over a month on Wednesdays (time TBC) on Zoom
What you’ll get
- Four hours over four weeks of mentoring support from a group of people at Storythings who have worked across content, storytelling, innovation and strategy for years at places like Channel 4, BBC Radio 1, PEN International and PHD Media.
- A clearer sense of how the content or storytelling challenge you’re facing could be approached.
- A playbook that gives you ideas and guides as to how to approach content structure and lessons we’ve learned about audiences and their behaviours.
What others have said
Approaching Storythings to help us develop our new initiative has been one of the best decisions we have made so far. They guided us expertly through a series of informal, yet carefully facilitated workshops, helping us to understand what questions we should be asking ourselves to move forward in the development of our organisation. They were generous in providing practical tools and advice, and importantly, the team were great in creating an environment where we felt comfortable in discussing complex and emotive issues that are central to the purpose of our work.
Farrah Nazir, Shomari Lewis-Wilson and Salma Begum
How to apply
Applications are currently closed. Please come back soon to check when they’ll reopen.