Return to flip book view

www paparentandfamilyalliance org How to Craft Your Story to Make an Impact Your story is just that yours Your experiences raising a child with a social emotional behavioral or mental health challenge is very personal to you and your family While it can be hard to share that story it can make a huge impact on their lives and the lives of others Raising your child did not happen over night It most likely has been a long and winding process filled with both pain and personal triumphs to get your child the services they deserve It might feel overwhelming to share that story because of how intricate and emotional it is for you and your family Being prepared with a 1 2 minute version of your story can help to ease both your nerves and your emotions and help you to get the information you want out in an efficient and impactful way By crafting your story into an elevator speech you will always have it in your back pocket to use when the opportunity strikes for you to advocate for your child and spread awareness of issues that impact them Ways to use your story for good When advocating for your child with their school district their service provider Meeting with your legislators to advocate for changes and protections that would benefit your family To make other families like yours feel less alone To bring awareness to issues that impact your family Tips for Crafting Your Story Fill out our Crafting Your Story Elevator Pitch worksheet below This will help you to keep your thoughts organized Create a list of talking points you d like to address Humanize your child family Start out what is great about your family and then go on to tell the story you want to tell Keep your story and the information you share concise and easy to understand Avoid using jargon or acronyms Think of potential questions that may arise and plan out answers to them Once you know what you plan to say practice it a few times maybe in front of a mirror or record yourself on your cell phone and then when you are comfortable with a trusted family member or friend Tips Specifically for Crafting Your Story for Your Legislators Plan for 10 minutes total of talking time starting with who you are why you are there necessary information and your ask Have a couple of plays in your play book in case they don t respond as expected For example if you are focusing on the community benefits of opening a treatment facility in their district and they don t seem to be responding well to it focus on the potential for new jobs and financial benefits of it Prepare a document to leave with them It can include a small picture of your child or family the issue you are discussing your ask and any relevant research Be sure it includes your name and contact info It should be no longer than one page

Crafting Your Story Elevator Pitch What is an Elevator Pitch A short 1 2 minute version of your story that you have memorized Imagine you find yourself in an elevator with someone who you want to share your story with Prepare your pitch so that you could say it in the short time you are in an elevator with them and still get your entire point across Introduction Your name and your connection to the speaker for example my son is in your daughter s class or I live in your congressional district Brief Version of Your Story Organize your story and only share the details that make sense for your appeal The Issue and Research to Back it Up State the issue that you are addressing Have pieces of information and research that proves the issue exists and how many people it impacts The Solution Your Appeal for Help Suggest a possible solution to the issue Craft your appeal based on your issue and who you are talking to

www paparentandfamilyalliance org How to Craft Your Story to Make an Impact Your story is just that yours Your experiences raising a child with a social emotional behavioral or mental health challenge is very personal to you and your family While it can be hard to share that story it can make a huge impact on their lives and the lives of others Raising your child did not happen over night It most likely has been a long and winding process filled with both pain and personal triumphs to get your child the services they deserve It might feel overwhelming to share that story because of how intricate and emotional it is for you and your family Being prepared with a 1 2 minute version of your story can help to ease both your nerves and your emotions and help you to get the information you want out in an efficient and impactful way By crafting your story into an elevator speech you will always have it in your back pocket to use when the opportunity strikes for you to advocate for your child and spread awareness of issues that impact them Ways to use your story for good When advocating for your child with their school district their service provider Meeting with your legislators to advocate for changes and protections that would benefit your family To make other families like yours feel less alone To bring awareness to issues that impact your family Tips for Crafting Your Story Fill out our Crafting Your Story Elevator Pitch worksheet below This will help you to keep your thoughts organized Create a list of talking points you d like to address Humanize your child family Start out what is great about your family and then go on to tell the story you want to tell Keep your story and the information you share concise and easy to understand Avoid using jargon or acronyms Think of potential questions that may arise and plan out answers to them Once you know what you plan to say practice it a few times maybe in front of a mirror or record yourself on your cell phone and then when you are comfortable with a trusted family member or friend Tips Specifically for Crafting Your Story for Your Legislators Plan for 10 minutes total of talking time starting with who you are why you are there necessary information and your ask Have a couple of plays in your play book in case they don t respond as expected For example if you are focusing on the community benefits of opening a treatment facility in their district and they don t seem to be responding well to it focus on the potential for new jobs and financial benefits of it Prepare a document to leave with them It can include a small picture of your child or family the issue you are discussing your ask and any relevant research Be sure it includes your name and contact info It should be no longer than one page

Crafting Your Story Elevator Pitch What is an Elevator Pitch A short 1 2 minute version of your story that you have memorized Imagine you find yourself in an elevator with someone who you want to share your story with Prepare your pitch so that you could say it in the short time you are in an elevator with them and still get your entire point across Introduction Your name and your connection to the speaker for example my son is in your daughter s class or I live in your congressional district Brief Version of Your Story Organize your story and only share the details that make sense for your appeal The Issue and Research to Back it Up State the issue that you are addressing Have pieces of information and research that proves the issue exists and how many people it impacts The Solution Your Appeal for Help Suggest a possible solution to the issue Craft your appeal based on your issue and who you are talking to