T.E.S.T =
Transformational Ethical Story Telling

Transformational Ethical Story Telling (TEST) creates safer spaces for Story Holders, empowering them to create, curate & control their Stories on their terms.

TEST 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.

As a Story Caretaker you commit to...

1.

Learning from the past as we flip the power  of Story Telling on a collaborative journey to ensure ethical, safe Story Telling now and into the future.

4.

Learning about ethical, safe Story Telling practices to better understand and progress our ethical Story Telling journey.

2.

Believing Story Holders must be empowered to create and control their Stories on their own terms.

5.

Respecting Story Holders and their Stories and creating and advancing/implementing ethical, safe, Story Telling practices in our organisation.

3.

Recognising that the rights of Story Holders can be threatened by individuals, organisations, institutions and corporations which use their Stories contrary to the wishes and often to the detriment of Story Holders.

6.

Sharing our progress on the TEST journey, wherever appropriate.

  • The T.E.S.T. Commitment is a public show of support for safe, ethical Story Telling, which declares that you as an individual or organisation are willing to progress towards applying the T.E.S.T. principles in your Story Telling work.

  • By signing the T.E.S.T. Commitment you are committing to review and improve your practices and advocating for others to flip the power of Story Telling too.

  • Individuals and organisations who are genuinely committed to the T.E.S.T. principles.

  • We have a T.E.S.T. Advisory Panel to appraise individuals and organisations who sign the Commitment.

    The Advisory Panel is made up of persons who apply and practice the T.E.S.T. Principles.

    We will publish the names of individuals and organisations, unless their association with Our Race may be detrimental to our purpose and principles .

  • Congratulations!!

    Within three days we will send you the Welcome to T.E.S.T. pack, which includes resources to better understand T.E.S.T., start reviewing your current practices and promote you have signed the T.E.S.T. Commitment.

  • Along with appraising the resources in the Welcome to T.E.S.T. pack, book into one of our public Working with Story Holders workshops.

    Alternatively, contact us to discuss tailoring a workshop for your team or organisation.

    After participating in this workshop you will be able to begin to review the current state of Story Telling and make improvements, with the option to work towards certification.

  • We are developing a Certification process for organisations, to independently audit an organisation’s Story Telling practices.

    This is based on the T.E.S.T. framework, requiring organisations to demonstrate comprehensive safe, ethical Story Telling practices.

Signatories include:

  • "Because for too long our stories have been used to tick boxes, for too long we've been asked to tone them down, make ourselves more palatable. We deserve to be heard on our own terms." ​

    -Natalia Garcia, Founder & Editor

  • "As a songwriter I tell stories through my music, so I care deeply about the art of storytelling. I am moved to see an organisation like Our Race work so graciously to educate people on the importance of understanding that a story isn’t a throwaway experience. That an ethical approach to sharing and engaging with our stories empowers us to be in control of our own narrative."

    -Leah Flanagan, Musician - songwriter

  • "Working with students and stations across the media sector means we teach people storytelling skills through our courses in media production and radio broadcasting. Ethical storytelling goes hand-in-hand with the values and aims of community broadcasting, so we want to ensure we have a framework to be able to pass on storytelling skills that respect and value storydholders. This is really great initiative to help us do that and Our Race is able to support us in those aims with their research, initiatives and experience."

    Giordana Caputo, Ceo

  • "Every story should have its truth preserved and for the voice of the story owner to continue shining, no matter who the story teller is." ​

    -Erika Katalbas, Intake Officer

  • "To ensure that the storyteller and their stories are treated with respect and dignity and treated fairly by others who share and tell their stories for purpose."

    -Liliana Sánchez, Cultural Educator & Story Teller.

  • "We are documentary filmmakers who have been producing films with communities and individuals about situations affecting them. We feel it is crucial that those in front of camera are properly consulted at all stages because they are the ones being represented on the screen."

    -Amanda King, Director.

  • "Because we are committed to giving power back to storyholders and sharing stories ethically."

    -Leonie Sanderson, Director.