Why is your CISV story so important?

Every CISV story is unique and exciting. Every person who is part of CISV has started his or her journey in a different way. Each CISVer has a good, authentic, and interesting story to tell. And that story is a great way to introduce CISV to other people.

Storytelling works really well because people love stories, and they are both easy for you to tell and for your listeners to remember. After hearing a good story people feel uplifted, motivated and connected to your experience. It makes an emotional and personal association, inspires action, and takes a person, or an audience, on a journey with CISV.

The most inspiring stories are ones that describe a change or impact. You may have different stories to share, you can tell a story about why you became involved with CISV, the ideals you share with the organization, the impact it has on you, or the reasons why you are still involved and active. Think: how did a CISV experience affect you; what did you do as a result of your experience?

Make of your story an inspiration for others to take action

We know that storytelling is a great way to educate, inspire and engage people. While our beliefs and mission provide big picture ideas about CISV’s purpose, storytelling can motivate and mobilize new people to support or join us.

Connect with your audience and let them know the benefits of CISV and how they can become involved. This may be by acting as a volunteer in a Chapter, as a leader for a programme, taking part in a local project, sending a child to a camp, or making a donation.

By telling your CISV story, you can be the beginning of someone else’s.

The same story doesn’t work for everyone

You need to know who is listening to you or reading what you have written before you can determine what story to tell them. Not just “who” they are literally, but what are their expectations and how will they relate to your story. Think of what is important to them in their hearts, minds and actions. For example if you are telling an experience about what you learnt from a programme, it would be great for parents, and a story about friendship, would be a better one for volunteers.

You should then go on to address what your audience needs to hear from you. For instance, if you are seeking support of some kind, now is the time to be specific about what you need, and what you can give them in return. If you are recruiting volunteers, this is when you would tell them about the personal benefits that volunteering with CISV can bring.

Be friendly and passionate about it

Make it personal and engaging, tell the story from your heart and imagine that you are telling it to a relative or a friend. By telling your CISV story, you can be the beginning of someone else’s.

Have in mind that the person that you are talking to might not be familiar with the organization, so keep it simple. Avoid abbreviations and acronyms, use clear and easy concepts, so your audience doesn’t feel excluded or lose interest in your story.

Here is an example of a story that can get you inspired:

The first chapter of my CISV story began at the end of 1999 when I went to an international camp called Village, a camp for 11-year-old kids, in New Zealand. I was a participant from Japan with three other 11-year-olds and an adult leader; I couldn’t speak a word of English back then. Children from all over the world, despite the differences in cultures and languages, spent four weeks together playing and laughing, and learned that we were not so different after all. When I returned to Japan, my parents couldn’t believe how much I loved the camp and the country – they asked me if I wanted to move to New Zealand to complete my education. In 2001, I flew to Auckland, New Zealand without my family and still with very little to no English!

A few years later in 2007, I attended a CISV conference in New Zealand. At this event, another participant and I had been looking at each other curiously, as though there was something funny about each other. After a brief conversation we figured out that we went to the same Village in 1999! We were amazed and excited about this unexpected reunion. It was funny for me to be able to understand her because I couldn’t speak English when we first met. Even though we hadn’t kept in touch over eight years, the fact that we went on a CISV camp together rekindled the friendship without a hitch. Since then, we worked together a few times as leaders and staff.

To me, CISV gives me colours, empathy, and hope. I’m happy to be part of a community where people are open, caring and determined to make a difference in the world.

Ryno Zushi

Take away tips when telling your CISV story

In summary, if you want to introduce CISV to new people, you should…

• Think of your audience
• Keep it simple and short
• Don’t use CISV language, abbreviations or acronyms
• Make it personal (but not full of personal details)

If you want to read more CISV stories, go to the article Start your CISV story.

By Natalia Cadavid

Photo Credit: Cris Vazquez Vela – CISV Mexico