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This work brought together community practitioners, storytellers, policymakers and funders to better understand the role of stories within systems change, and how more intentional, ethical approaches to storytelling and listening can support learning, accountability and better decision-making.
The “storytelling for Systems Change” project began in 2021 as an inquiry into questions raised by Teya Dusseldorp about why many community stories go unheard and how communities can be better supported to share them. This led to a partnership between Dusseldorp Forum, Hands Up Mallee and the Centre for Public Impact to strengthen storytelling capability within systems change efforts.
The work was grounded in conversations with people engaged in community-led systems change across Australia. Rather than starting with a fixed framework or set of assumptions, the partners created spaces for listening, dialogue and exploration, allowing insights to emerge from practice.
The process emphasised:
The collaboration resulted in two connected resources— Storytelling for Systems Change and Listening to Understand, developed through a shared process of listening, reflection, and collective sense-making. This approach shaped not only the content of the reports but also the way they are intended to be used — as learning resources rather than definitive answers.
The first report explores the role stories play in community-led systems change and why they matter beyond communication or advocacy. It highlights how stories can reveal patterns not visible through data alone, support learning over time, help make sense of complex, non-linear change, and both show evidence of change and contribute to it.
It also surfaces the challenges of storytelling in systems work, including questions of power, ethics, and voice, and the importance of approaches that respect the agency and dignity of those whose stories are shared.
The second report focuses on the act of listening, particularly within institutions that influence policy, funding and system design. It explores the difference between listening to respond and listening to understand, why stories may go unheard even when shared, and what helps decision makers engage with stories in ways that deepen understanding rather than simplify complexity.
Listening to understand is presented as an active, relational practice that requires curiosity, openness and a genuine willingness to engage. The work reflects on challenges that make deep listening difficult, the risks of single narratives, and what might help build readiness for more meaningful listening within government and philanthropic settings.
