Storytelling for Policy Training

Researchers often reflect that they find it difficult to communicate their research to policymakers. Policymakers are rarely experts, often lacking deep subject knowledge or technical expertise on research in their policy area. Getting and holding their attention can be hard, especially when writing for policy is structurally and stylistically very different to academia.

Storytelling techniques are commonly used by journalists and policymakers to help simplify complexity, grab attention, and communicate information. Policymakers also structure their advice in a particular way to communicate it to ministers succinctly and compellingly. This training combines the best of these approaches to offer advice on how to write about your research for a policy audience. 

Who is the training for?
This course is aimed at academic and research staff at any career stage and in any discipline, who want to understand how to write for better policy impact. It is suitable for those who have already attended the public policy masterclass or already have an understanding of the policy implications of their research, and now want to learn how to better articulate that to a policy making audience. Exclusively for Brunel staff.

What does the training cover?

• What is a story and why are stories useful - the basic components of stories and why we tell them.
• Telling a story about your research - how to break down complex topics into simple structures, pull out the most relevant information and tell a compelling story about your research.
• Storytelling to persuade - how political actors and policy advocates use stories to influence policy, and the ethics of using storytelling techniques.

The training is delivered through a combination of lecture-style content, small group exercises and discussion. We may ask participants to do about 30 minutes of preparation before the training.

Allocating places on the story telling training courses
As places are limited, allocation will be selective. To get the most out of this course, you will need to come prepared with a particular project or set of findings that you would like to use to tell a story to policy makers. To apply, we ask you to give a short summary (250 words maximum) of the project/ findings that you would like to use at the training and why you think it would be relevant or interesting to policy makers.  Exclusively for Brunel staff.

Application deadline: Tuesday 16th April 2024, 3pm.

Apply now by completing this application form