What does it take to engage in narrative change?

This website captures insights and lessons learned from the Pathways Narrative Project and shares tools and resources for organizations interested in engaging in narrative change as part of their mission and work.  The Pathways Narrative Project is a two-year collaborative initiative, led by Wonder: Strategies for Good and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Walton Family Foundation and others, that convened nine organizations working in five places (Colorado, Indiana, New York, Texas, and Washington, DC) to improve education and career pathways for young people. Together the cohort explored how to leverage the power of narrative to advance programs and systems change in the pathways space.

Many in the social sector understand the power of messaging and storytelling, but are less familiar with leveraging narrative change to create systems change. Through this project, organizations mapped the dominant narratives shaping the education and employment systems; undertook research to understand the mindsets of their target audiences; tested messaging to understand what would persuade their audiences to take actions that will advance programs and systems changes in the education and career pathways field; and learned how to put narrative interventions into action and measure impact.

On the website, you will find insights learned about shifting narratives related to education and career pathways, as well as tools to help you engage in narrative change. You can explore case studies about the project, profiles about what each participating organization learned, sample worksheets to guide your own narrative change efforts, and tools to help you center youth voice and measure narrative change.