Storytelling for Social Change (FutureLearn)

Storytelling for Social Change (FutureLearn)

Discover how crafting an engaging story can deliver a message that inspires audiences and effects real change. Harness the power of storytelling and improve your communication skills. On this course, you’ll discover the secrets of storytelling from expert performers and artists. Stories are a powerful way to engage an audience and deliver impact. Using characters creates empathy, and makes people more open-minded to hearing something new or engaging with a complex topic.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Learn how storytelling can communicate powerful ideas
By following some simple rules of story craft, any communicator can create empathy and interest – both vitally important when trying to get a message across.
You’ll explore how professionals use stories to drive social change, and understand how introducing multiples perspectives can boost the impact of your message.

Utilise the power of visual storytelling
You’ll learn how visual elements can enhance a story and keep people listening.
You’ll discover how to identify your audience, and create a protagonist that can connect with them, building awareness and shifting attitudes.

Improve the impact of your communication skills
Using peer feedback, quizzes, and personal reflection, you’ll improve your own storytelling techniques, whether you work with a brand, a not-for-profit, or just want to become a better public speaker.
Studying performances and hearing from storytelling professionals, you‘ll end by developing a creative project of your own.

What topics will you cover?

  • Developing skills for using stories to deliver messages that affect audiences and drive change.
  • Discussion of how building empathy and developing characters can offer multiple perspectives on complex problems.
  • Explore how connecting with an audience through story can create new awareness and influence attitudinal shifts around a particular cause.
  • View performances and interviews with storytelling experts to demonstrate how story crafting can develop empathy and deliver impact.

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • How professionals use stories to elicit social change.
  • How to introduce multiple perspectives into stories for social impact.
  • How to identify an audience, communicate a message, and develop a strong protagonist to deliver your message.
  • How empathy and belief systems affect storytellers and audience members.
  • How to use visual elements to enhance a storytelling project.

Who is the course for?
This course would benefit professionals who want to tell an impactful story, including those working in not-for-profit or commercial sectors, marketing teams, writers, educators, and public speakers.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Using Virtual Scenarios to Create Effective Learning (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
St George's, University of London,Waves

Using Virtual Scenarios to Create Effective Learning (FutureLearn)

Learn how to use virtual scenarios to help people practice their decision making and prepare for real world challenges. Virtual scenarios are online educational resources which help learners explore real world decisions, making both good judgements and errors in a safe environment. They are used to prepare professionals to deal with a range of workplace challenges.

Self Paced
3 Weeks
How to Succeed in the Global Workplace (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
The University of Sheffield,British Council

How to Succeed in the Global Workplace (FutureLearn)

Get off to a great start in your new job by learning the essential skills to succeed in a global workplace. The British Council and The University of Sheffield have teamed up to help you succeed when you enter the workplace for the first time. Beginning your career or starting a new job brings to mind lots of questions, so we’ve designed a course to guide you through those initial weeks and months so you can make a really positive start to your career.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
Storytelling in Advertising (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
D&AD

Storytelling in Advertising (FutureLearn)

Learn from top creatives how to engage audiences by using storytelling in advertising, from crafting a narrative to using digital. We’re D&AD – a global organisation that inspires, celebrates and enables creative excellence worldwide. Discovering and nurturing talent is at the heart of what we do, supporting creatives throughout all stages of their careers.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
What Is Poetry? An Introduction to Literary Analysis (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
The University of Newcastle, Australia

What Is Poetry? An Introduction to Literary Analysis (FutureLearn)

Understand the basics of poetry analysis and learn key skills for studying English literature by exploring a variety of texts. Explore, understand and critique poetry. What are the different ways you can understand a poem? How do different elements of a poem work together? What difference does context make to literature?

Jul 19th 2021
3 Weeks
Research Methods: A Practical Guide to Peer and Community Research (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
King's College London

Research Methods: A Practical Guide to Peer and Community Research (FutureLearn)

Identify how to conduct your own research and develop your own ethical research project on this practical course. Learn how to conduct research to initiate positive social change. This practical, four-week course from King’s College London provides an overview of all aspects of research, with the principle aim to support and empower people to conduct their own research to initiate positive social change.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks
Transmedia Storytelling (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Sungkyunkwan University - SKKU

Transmedia Storytelling (FutureLearn)

Learn how to tell compelling stories across multiple platforms, like books, films, games and TV, with this free online course. Stories are increasingly told across a variety of formats - books, comics, events, films, games and TV programmes. This is known as transmedia storytelling or multiplatform storytelling. This free online course is designed for anyone studying or working in media or marketing.

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
German at Work Post-Beginners 1: Deutsch am Arbeitsplatz (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
The Open University

German at Work Post-Beginners 1: Deutsch am Arbeitsplatz (FutureLearn)

Develop your understanding of the German language and consolidate your communication skills for the workplace. Language skills are vital in our interconnected economies. People who use their knowledge of other languages and cultures in the workplace can open up professional opportunities. German is the most widely spoken native language in Europe, and German-speaking countries benefit from strong economies and low unemployment.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
How to Understand the Gaming Audience (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
D&AD

How to Understand the Gaming Audience (FutureLearn)

Learn techniques to understand your audience and use gamification to improve your creative communications. While the audience sits at the heart of any successful communication, the community you build is what supercharges gaming. Often called the new social media, this medium is where people want to interact, engage, and spend their time. On this three-week course from D&AD, you’ll explore how to build and engage a gaming audience, maintain their attention, and empower them to do good.

May 23rd 2022
3 Weeks
Business Fundamentals: Effective Communication (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
The Open University

Business Fundamentals: Effective Communication (FutureLearn)

Gain a practical grounding in communication to boost your personal effectiveness, save you time and reduce your stress levels. Faced with a daily deluge of information, we have never had greater need of clear communication skills. This online course offers you a practical grounding in using a range of communication media, to boost your personal effectiveness, save you time and reduce your stress levels.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
Taking on the Climate Crisis with Social Change (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Stockholm University

Taking on the Climate Crisis with Social Change (FutureLearn)

Explore the reasons and solutions for the climate crisis, equipping you to create a better today and tomorrow. Discover how social transformation can help us tackle the climate crisis The harsh realities of global warming and climate change often make people feel helpless, but there is a lot that can be done. This three-week course will open your eyes to the actions you can take.

Feb 13th 2023
3 Weeks
Fashion Values: Cultures (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
London College of Fashion

Fashion Values: Cultures (FutureLearn)

Use storytelling to contribute to equitable, inclusive and diverse cultures in and through fashion. Reimagine fashion as a powerful medium to explore and amplify cultures. On this four-week course from London College of Fashion, you’ll learn how to find and tell stories of the ingenuity and creativity of fashion in its many cultural forms.

Dec 5th 2022
4 Weeks
An Introduction to Chinese Sign Language and Linguistics (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Shanghai International Studies University - SISU

An Introduction to Chinese Sign Language and Linguistics (FutureLearn)

Get to grips with Chinese sign language (CSL), sign language linguistics and deaf culture. Learn the basics of Chinese sign language and sign language linguistics. This comprehensive four-week course from the Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) provides you with basic knowledge of Chinese sign language (CSL), sign language linguistics, as well as Chinese deaf culture and deaf education.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks