Challenge and Selection

I work in a public university in Brazil, in a unit that develops projects with the aim of bringing  the community closer to the university, with community work developed by teachers and  students, meeting the demands of the community in their different needs. As we operate in  the management of these projects, which are currently approximately 200 in progress, we  have a great challenge in publicizing these actions to the community, both internal and  external, to increase the visibility of actions and engagement. In order to escape from the  traditional institutional narratives coming from the university's official vehicles, with  predominantly journalistic language, we seek to use the Storytelling tool. We propose to tell  the stories of the projects in a way that the readers could get involved in the narratives,  reinforcing the connection between the projects and especially among the people involved in  the projects.

Application

I started the process by searching for a content platform that could create a more interactive  layout for the stories produced, ensuring that we could analyze how readers were engaging  with the published content and also how they could easily share the stories in their social  media. So we found Medium, and there we created the blog of the project called Stories of  Extension, being the space for the publication of the contents  (https://medium.com/unilaproex).

The contents posted on the blog have followed the characteristics of storytelling, trying to  describe the project based on the vision of its participants, betting on a more emotive  narrative, highlighting the role and values of the people involved, as the main characters of the  story. In each new content we seek to show the connections built by the people in the  communities, focusing on the problems that the projects are solving in the communities,  engaging these individuals in this mission.

As a source of data for these stories we use the reports produced by the projects as well as  interviews with those involved who are rich sources of information for the stories.

Insight & Approach

After the publication of the third content we began to realize that the blog was being visited  more by the internal community, formed by the teachers and students involved in the  projects. As this public also needs our attention, precisely because the lack of integration  between the projects is one of the points that we should improve, we saw in this new context  as something very positive. We noticed that teachers and students, in addition to  accompanying the content posted on the projects, shared and talked with colleagues about  them. This has helped improve the integration between the projects, making the community  better know the work developed in the community, enabling new partnerships. In addition,  project members have disseminated the published stories to communities, which has  contributed to the visibility of these actions.

As I learned about using storytelling, I realized that it is an important tool for engaging,  engaging the audience with content. Those who have had their stories told realize that they  are part of a larger context, not only of the project as a single action, but of a larger whole that  is the university and its impact on the community.


Challenge and Selection I work in a public university in Brazil , in a unit that develops projects with the aim of bringing the community closer to the university , with community work developed by teachers and students , meeting the demands of the community in their different needs . As we operate in the management of these projects , which are currently approximately 200 in progress , we have a great challenge in publicizing these actions to the community , both internal and external , to increase the visibility of actions and engagement . In order to escape from the traditional institutional narratives coming from the university 's official vehicles , with predominantly journalistic language , we seek to use the Storytelling tool . We propose to tell the stories of the projects in a way that the readers could get involved in the narratives , reinforcing the connection between the projects and especially among the people involved in the projects . Application I started the process by searching for a content platform that could create a more interactive layout for the stories produced , ensuring that we could analyze how readers were engaging with the published content and also how they could easily share the stories in their social media . So we found Medium , and there we created the blog of the project called Stories of Extension , being the space for the publication of the contents ( https://medium.com/unilaproex ) . The contents posted on the blog have followed the characteristics of storytelling , trying to describe the project based on the vision of its participants , betting on a more emotive narrative , highlighting the role and values of the people involved , as the main characters of the story . In each new content we seek to show the connections built by the people in the communities , focusing on the problems that the projects are solving in the communities , engaging these individuals in this mission . As a source of data for these stories we use the reports produced by the projects as well as interviews with those involved who are rich sources of information for the stories . Insight & Approach After the publication of the third content we began to realize that the blog was being visited more by the internal community , formed by the teachers and students involved in the projects . As this public also needs our attention , precisely because the lack of integration between the projects is one of the points that we should improve , we saw in this new context as something very positive . We noticed that teachers and students , in addition to accompanying the content posted on the projects , shared and talked with colleagues about them . This has helped improve the integration between the projects , making the community better know the work developed in the community , enabling new partnerships . In addition , project members have disseminated the published stories to communities , which has contributed to the visibility of these actions . As I learned about using storytelling , I realized that it is an important tool for engaging , engaging the audience with content . Those who have had their stories told realize that they are part of a larger context , not only of the project as a single action , but of a larger whole that is the university and its impact on the community .