Designing a Workshop to Strengthen Storytelling at United Way Bengaluru

The Challenge

The team at United Way Bengaluru (UWBe) was doing meaningful work across communities—but struggled to communicate their impact in a way that truly connected with audiences. They wanted to move beyond reports and project updates, and instead tell stories that inspire action, reflect the voices of their beneficiaries, and resonate across diverse stakeholder groups—from donors and government officials to school children and frontline workers.

That’s when they brought us in—to build their team’s storytelling muscle in a simple, engaging, and practical way.

The Objective

The goal was to equip UWBe’s core team with:

  • A strong grasp of how to craft meaningful, audience-focused stories

  • Tools and techniques to balance data with emotion

  • Confidence to create compelling narratives in both English and local languages

  • Practical skills in using platforms like Canva to visually enhance stories

  • A renewed focus on bringing the voices of their communities to the forefront

The Solution

We designed and facilitated a hands-on workshop titled ‘Crafting Stories of Transformation’ for UWBe’s core members. It was interactive, reflective, and designed to be applied immediately.

Key components included:

  • Role-play exercises to identify story-worthy moments

  • A structured deep dive into emotion + data frameworks

  • Live collaborative work using Canva to build visual narratives

  • Tools and templates to support story collection, structuring, and delivery

  • Breakouts and reflection to personalise learning for each participant

The Impact

The session landed with clarity and enthusiasm:

  • 58% of participants said they had a strong understanding of storytelling after the workshop

  • 75% felt they had improved their skills in structuring and writing engaging stories

  • 66% said they learned how to effectively balance emotion and data in their narratives

Feedback Highlights

The power of emotional connection—stories are most impactful when they evoke emotion.”


“I found the frameworks shared helpful and will be using Data/Emotion/Design going forward.”


“I now understand how to construct a story that resonates with our audience.


Struggling to turn your field insights into stories that resonate?



Next
Next

Shifting the Story: Helping Educate Girls Reimagine Field-Based Storytelling