It all starts with a Story…

Our Race embeds ethical storytelling in strategy, policy and practice.

We partner with communities and organisations to make sure every story is told with consent, context and collective benefit—not exploitation.

What is a Story?

A Story is the lived experience, knowledge and voice that a Story Holder chooses to share.

It is not a commodity to be edited, extracted or flattened into a single, market-friendly narrative.

A true Story stays connected to its teller’s dignity, embeds their context and boundaries, and travels only with their ongoing, informed consent. When organisations work with stories they become Story Caretakers, responsible for resourcing, protecting and amplifying that truth—never owning it.

Who’s who in Story telling?

  • The lived-experience voice.

    Holds the truth; sets boundaries.

  • Org / media / creative ally.

    Shields, resources, amplifies with consent.

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  • Researcher / journalist

    Translates story—must centre dignity.

  • Anyone who takes stories without consent, context or fair return.

Transformational Ethical Story Telling

Centering the Story Holder

Our T.E.S.T. framework is an anti-oppressive framework which aims to flip the Story Telling balance of power, where each person’s rights and needs - regardless of their race, ethnicity, language, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, health, ability, economic status or background – must be respected.

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Our Offering

Story Holder
Support

Story Holder Fund

Micro-grants that pay for time, travel, wellbeing.

[apply or make a contribution]

Workshops

Free workshops with Our Race mentors.

[upcoming dates]

Resource library

Plain-language and multi-lingual guides on consent, IP, emotional safety.

Story Caretaker Support

Collaborative Consults

Audit comms, contracts and culture; co-design consent-driven policy.

[see process] 

Workshops & Training

Half-day primers to 12-month fellowships—skill up your team.

[upcoming dates]

Self-paced Toolkit

Templates, checklists, video lessons; launch Aug 2024.

[join the waitlist]

What people say about us

  • “I am not used to studying the subject as I am always seen to be the subject. By participating in Our Race workshops I realised that I am not their subject”

    -Workshop participant

  • “The Working with Story Holders Workshop was a mind opener for me. It made me understand the value of a story holder, their rights, the need for their empowerment and the ethics around engaging with them. Very often our clients share their stories with us, either intentionally or unintentionally and from this training I have come to understand that it is our responsibility as an organisation to make sure our engagement with the clients as they share their stories, is respectful and ethical. I recommend this training for other organisations and individuals, including potential story holders themselves."

    SydWest

  • “We really enjoyed the workshop and know it was super eye opening for the cohort! As one of them said, it wasn't something they'd actually thought of yet, so we're so glad you were able to open their eyes to these things at this early stage in their career. Hopefully with this new understanding and awareness will empower them to stand up for themselves and their stories in this big, sometimes scary, space we call the Arts.” ​

    Workshop participant

Storytelling Circle

Our story sharing space—raw stories published with full approval.

Organisations walking the Story Caretaking journey