What does it take for government and philanthropy to listen to stories more meaningfully? Together with Dusseldorp Forum and Hands Up Mallee, we are exploring how to create the conditions for stories to be heard by those who need to hear them.
It started with me telling my own story. I was caring for my mum Joan, who was living with vascular dementia.
We both felt invisible, so I started a blog. I heard from people who recognised themselves in our story. In turn, we recognised ourselves in theirs. It helped us feel less alone. I learnt so much from them.
People told me about their lives, their families, their love stories. I walked around Scotland to create a space to listen and collect stories and delivered them to the Parliament.
I’ve shared my story with healthcare workers, decision makers, local government leaders: almost a quarter of a million people face to face.
I share my story and take time to listen to the stories of the people I meet. It goes both ways. When you share something, it creates a safe space for other people to share.
I spoke to a woman who attends a day centre for people living with complex, profound needs. I said:
“Tell me something that nobody who works here knows about you.”
She said, “I hope one day someone falls in love with me.”
If we hadn’t created that safe space, maybe nobody would ever have known that about her.
Since then, I’ve worked with people in government and public services, to support them to listen to stories.
Most people think they’re listening. But they’re listening to reply, or to fix things. We should be listening to understand. When those carers wrote to me, they didn’t want me to fix anything. They just wanted to feel heard. That’s so powerful.
What does it take for government and philanthropy to listen to stories more meaningfully?
Together with Dusseldorp Forum and Hands Up Mallee, we are exploring how to create the conditions for stories to be heard by those who need to hear them.
