The Help-Files: The Truth Is Here 

Vol01:Iss02 – Serving Stories as a tool for your volunteer movement

There are two kinds of people in this world: podcast people and the rest. Podcast people listen to all kinds of interesting stories, information, and discussions as they commute to work, go for a run or walk, wash the dishes, get ready for the day, or—my favourite—work on a craft project. And the rest wonder why—or maybe even what a podcast is. (For those who are wondering: It’s kind of like an internet radio show on a certain topic, that you can listen to whenever you like.)

Whether you are a podcast person or not, the STCi Serving Stories podcast is not just an interesting source of information. It is a powerful tool that you can use to help grow your own city’s movement, as you listen to it yourself and share it with others. Here’s a few ways:

Serving Stories as a source of inspiration for your own city. As you and your team listen to stories of others serving, it will be sure to spark new ideas for you in your own setting. Though your context is unique, the ways in which people are serving in other places can give rise to adaptations that are your own. And by encouraging a wide audience for the podcast in your city, those ideas can come from anyone!

Serving Stories as a connection with the global movement. It is easy to feel alone in the day-to-day process of serving others’ needs. These stories connect all of us with a global movement that is spreading. And encouraging people who are connecting with your city’s movement to hear stories from around the world legitimises for them what you are doing locally.

Serving Stories as a teaching tool for our STC values. Serve the City is not just another do-good organisation—it is a movement led by values. Each story in the podcast is crafted not just to tell a nice tale, but to promote a way of life. Sharing these stories with your project leaders and volunteers helps them to see this vision as well.

Serving Stories as a way to describe the spirit of STC to a potential partner. Not only your volunteers, but also potential partners can catch this vision as you share the podcast with them. This can include charitable associations you hope to work with as well as local government and police. And it is also an invaluable resource for groups who want to send volunteers to you, or to support you financially: schools, corporations, churches, clubs, etc. This is especially true if you are a new city!

Serving Stories as a means to share your own stories. We want to share your stories! If you listen to the podcast, you will hear that we zero in on one main story each time. If you have a story you think should be shared, contact shannon@servethecity.net to pitch it to her for a future episode!

How do you access and share the Serving Stories podcast?

• Serving Stories is available on all regular podcast platforms (Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn); subscribe, listen and rate to help us increase our listenership!
• You can also listen to the podcast on our international website: www.servethecity.net. From here you can also share the link to individual podcasts: on your Facebook page or website, in an email or text message… any way you can think of!
• You can also embed the podcast into your own STC website to easily share it with your city! Let Jeremie know if you want help with this!

Keep on serving, and keep on sharing your stories!