Bottom Line Training (Team 4 - final)

Strength-Based Storytelling

A virtual guide to reinventing how you share stories.

start

Strength-Based Storytelling

Index

click here to begin!

Bottom Line's Core Competencies

Learning Objectives & Goal

Welcome

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Conclusion & Survey

Strength-Based Storytelling

Introduction

Hello and Welcome!

Strength-Based Storytelling

Learning Objectives & Goal

Identify and avoid biases and stereotypes in narratives that further promote the savior complex

Explain the importance of strength-based storytelling as a tool for empowering students and contributing to the Bottom Line's mission

By the end of this training,

you will be able to share students’ stories in a strength-based approach and avoid a savior complex.

Strength-Based Storytelling

Why This Matters To You

Bottom Line's Core Competencies Include:

Inclusivity

Relationships

Communication

Lesson 1: Strength-Based Storytelling

Lesson 1: Strength-Based Storytelling

Writing Activity Part One

Writing Activity Part Two

Writing Activity Part Three

Lesson 1: Strength-Based Storytelling

Writing Activity Part One

Instructions: Read the following descrption of a first-gen student. Then, draft a sample one paragraph story highlighting their strengths. Keep this sample to the side, as we will revisit this later in the lesson.

Name: Alex Sanchez

• First-generation incoming college freshman at ABC University
• Enrolled in Bottom Line
• Part-time Jobs and Scholarships: Alex takes on part-time jobs while exploring scholarship opportunities to aid his financial need
• Passion and Engagement for Biology: Has been heavily involved in science-related clubs and events, demonstates a driving force behind their academic choices
• Dreams of healthcare: Hopes to transform their passion of Biology into a career in healthcare through medical research, nursing, etc.

Lesson 1: Strength-Based Storytelling

Strength-Based Storytelling

A model of ethical storytelling that frames communities as they might see themselves, focusing on the strengths and assets they bring.

+ info

Using the Strength over Trauma Toolkit, structure your story following these three parts:

Part Two

Part Three

Part One

Starting and introducing your story

Crafting the story's climax, highlighting the strengths

Concluding your story

Lesson 1: Strength-Based Storytelling

Part One: Introducing the Story

Begin the story with relevant information about the student, including their background and demographics. Additionally, describe what is most important to the student. This can be:

• dreams
• hopes
• values
• recent accomplishments

KEEP in mind...

Lesson 1: Strength-Based Storytelling

Part Two: Crafting Story's Climax, Highlighting the Srengths

Here, you want to discuss how Bottom Line was introduced to the student. Highlight that Bottom Line has further supported their dreams, hopes, or values, not pave the way for them. Make the climax of your story the emphasis on the student's power and ability over their adversity. Emphasize how far they can go with their talents.

Lesson 1: Strength-Based Storytelling

Part Three: Wrapping up your Story

In this last part, refer back to the student's aspirations and goals from part one. It is important that when beginning a story with a strength, that the story ends with the strength thus creating an arc. End the story open-ended, so that it reveals to the donor that the student's story is not over. Here you can emphasize the potential that the student has, and how much they will do with that potential. Tie this with Bottom Line's partnership and impact.

vs.

Open-ended

Closed-ended

Though Student has gotten into college, this is only the beginning to their professional journey with our Parternship

Student, in the face of adversity, was able to go to college and continue their pursuit in their professional endeavours.

Lesson 1: Strength-Based Storytelling

Writing Activity Part Two

Instructions: Now that you have learned the structure to strength-based story telling, rewrite your paragraph.

Name: Alex Sanchez

• First-generation incoming college freshman at ABC University
• Enrolled in Bottom Line
• Part-time Jobs and Scholarships: Alex takes on part-time jobs while exploring scholarship opportunities to aid his financial need
• Passion and Engagement for Biology: Has been heavily involved in science-related clubs and events, demonstates a driving force behind their academic choices
• Dreams of healthcare: Hopes to transform their passion of Biology into a career in healthcare through medical research, nursing, etc.

Lesson 1: Strength-Based Storytelling

Writing Activity Part Three

Instructions: Take your rough and final draft and compare them. Below is a mock story of the student that follows the strength-based toolkit for you to compare your work and see how you've improved.

Alex is a first-generation student who has an innate passion for Biology. He has been heavily involved in science-related clubs and events, demonstrating a driving force behind his academic choices. Because of this, he has been accepted into ABC University to study Biology. Bottom Line was there supporting Alex in his college application process and will continue to support him throughout college. He hopes to transform his passion for Biology into a career in healthcare and we can’t wait to see how he thrives in this field. This is only the beginning for him and his professional journey.

Lesson 2: Savior Complex

Lesson 2: Savior Complex

click here to continue!

Definition & Impact

DOs & DONTs

Quiz

Lesson 2: Savior Complex

Savior Complex

https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2022/09/30/what-is-white-saviorism-and-how-does-it-show-up-in-your-workplace/?sh=77310cff126d

The belief that it is one's role to save, help, and protect those who are perceived to be less forunate than themselves.

Why this can be detrimental to storytelling:

Subject changes from capability to situation

Reinforces a "transactional" relationship

Belittes instead of Uplifts

+ info

+ info

+ info

Lesson 2: Savior Complex

DOs

Emphasize words like "partnership" when addressing the donor. Reiterate that the donors are there to support the student in their educational and professoinal advancements, not just "giving them money."

DON'Ts

• Don't focus solely on the student's circumstance/hardships

• Avoid saying these words:
• "save" or "rescue"
• "charity"
• "gratitude" or "thankful" (as in, emphasize the need for the student to be thankful to receive the donation)

Lesson 2: Savior Complex

1/4

Question 1: Which of these sentences demonstrates Bottom Line as a savior to students?

Bottom Line supports their students throughout the college process and then throughout their college years

Here at Bottom Line we like to be our students biggest cheerleaders

If this student didn't find Bottom Line, they wouldn't have been able to afford college.

Lesson 2: Savior Complex

Sesiones de aprendizaje / 02

Correct!

This is correct because in the statement, it devalues the student's own effort and stengths to what was able to get them to college.

Continue

Lesson 2: Savior Complex

Sesiones de aprendizaje / 02

2/4

Question 2: Which of these words avoids savior complex when talking to donors?

Partnership

Thankful

Charity

Lesson 2: Savior Complex

Sesiones de aprendizaje / 02

Correct!

This is correct because the word 'partnership' puts equal power to both student and donor. That they are both benefiting from this process and working together.

Continue

Lesson 2: Savior Complex

Sesiones de aprendizaje / 02

3/4

True or False: To help avoid savior complex, you shouldn't use the word thankful because it doesn't emphasize the need for the student to be thankful to recieve the donation.

True

False

Lesson 2: Savior Complex

Sesiones de aprendizaje / 02

Correct!

This is correct because the overuse of the word 'thankful' puts in the emphasis that the student is indebted to the donor

Continue

Lesson 2: Savior Complex

Sesiones de aprendizaje / 02

4/4

Why is savior complex detrimental to storytelling?

Deconstructs a transactional relationship

Changes subject from situation to capabilities

Changes subject from capabilities to situation

Lesson 2: Savior Complex

Sesiones de aprendizaje / 02

Correct!

This is correct because the use of savior complex will shift the focus of the student to their circumstances instead of their capabilities and skill. It is important to not use savior complex to highlight the student's capabilities which will build/contribute to their promising future

Continue

Conclusion

Training completed

Good job!

Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey:

You now have the knowledge and skills to tell students' story in a strength-based way!

click here!

back

oops!

This answer is not correct

This is wrong because this statement describes Bottom Line as a resource for the student to use when it comes to their academic and professional development

back

oops!

This answer is not correct

This is wrong because Bottom Line is being described as a support system for the student

back

oops!

This answer is not correct

This is wrong because the connotation of relating to the student with charity is not the most uplifiting

back

oops!

This answer is not correct

This is wrong because the overuse of the word 'thankful' sounds as if the student is indebted to the donor for their donations

back

oops!

This answer is not correct

This is wrong because using the word 'Thankful' DOES emphasize the student's need as it puts power into the donor's actions.

back

oops!

This answer is not correct

This is wrong because if savior complex is used it will change the focus from the student's capabilities to their situation of being unable to attend college without donations

back

oops!

This answer is not correct

This is wrong because savior complex does make the process of donating to students sound like a transactional relationship

back

It is important to uplift the students and their stories, as we do not want donors to feel pity for the students, but rather be empowered and in turn persuaded to contribute.

Conveys the idea that donating is a single, charitable act rather than a collaborative effort. The students, advisors, development team (you!), and donors are all working towards the same thing: student success in all aspects of their educational and professional life.

Focusing too much on the student's hardships will minimize the student overcoming those challenges in your story. Thus, implying that the donors and their financial aid is the only solution to overcome these hardships, rather than the student's capabilities.

Part Two

Part Three

Part One

Starting and introducing your story

Crafting the story's climax, highlighting the strengths

Concluding your story