Overview

Recovery is everywhere, and it is imperative that we speak out about the power of recovery.

Storytelling is all around us; videos, podcasts, and commercials use words paired with images to share meaningful stories with a wide range of people. Digital storytelling helps us connect to people no matter where they are located. We can learn a great deal about each other from our smart phones, tablets, and computers.

This toolkit is designed to help stakeholders share the Our Stories Have Power (OSHP) campaign within their network using a digital format. Faces & Voices of Recovery has partnered with Opioid Response Network (ORN) to collect, produce, and distribute stories of recovery to support the elimination of stigma, discrimination, and biases faced by the recovery community and People Who Use Drugs (PWUD).

Why should you share this campaign? Because:

It highlights the impact of recovery on diverse individuals, families, and communities,

It changes the narrative of despair into one of continuous hope, courage, and empowerment, and

It may encourage others to seek help

Using the information in this helpful toolkit, you can plan, organize, and make your own campaign to advocate for Our Stories Have Power, with ease.

In this toolkit you will find:

Ways to choose your campaign outreach, frame your message, and write your pitch

Sample graphics to use in your outreach whether it’s via social media or email

Resources to direct people of where they can share their stories online and best practices for doing so

Join the extraordinary movement today!

Assets & Marketing Materials

Suggested Posts

Option 1:

Stand side by side as we introduce #OurStoriesHavePower campaign, by putting a face to recovery, making the process of recovery not just something we experience, but something we live, every day, for everyone #changethenarrative #eliminatethestigma #TogetherWeRecover

Option 2:

Join the #OurStoriesHavePower campaign alongside the over 23 million Americans in recovery, standing together, voicing our needs and desires, offering hope to those still struggling from substance use disorder #RecoveryisHOPE #TogetherWeRecover #RecoveryFacesForward

Option 3:

Recovery is EVERYWHERE! Each action, each shared story, and each face and voice that joins us, brings us closer to a society where recovery is acknowledged, supported, and celebrated #OurStoriesHavePower #TogetherWeRecover @changethenarrative

Suggested Graphics

 

Hashtags for Promotion

#OurStoriesHavePower

#changethenarrative

#RecoveryisHOPE

#TogetherWeRecover

#RecoveryFacesFoward

#eliminatethestigma

Sample Pitch Email

Hey, [FIRST NAME],

Personal stories are powerful. But they can’t help people they don’t reach.

As part of the Our Stories Have Power campaign, Faces & Voices of Recovery and Opioid Response Network is encouraging members of the recovery community to share their journeys through pictures, videos, written narratives, or other mediums. The idea behind this campaign is to normalize conversations around addiction, substance use, and mental health disorders – and to showcase the hope and joy that’s possible on the other side.

You can help us spread the word and break stigmas down, one story at a time.

Stories can be submitted on the campaign’s web page,
www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/advocate/stories, or tag us on our social media platforms.

[insert clickable SM icons]

Sample Pitch Call Script

“Hi, [Person You Are Calling]! It’s [Your Name] from [Your Organization]. I’m reaching out to let you know about an important campaign Opioid Response Network and Faces & Voices of Recovery are partnering on called Our Stories Have Power.

We’re asking people in the recovery community to submit stories about their recovery journey to normalize and destigmatize addiction.

If you have a story you’d like to share, please visit the campaign’s web page, www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/advocate/stories. We would really appreciate it if you could share what we’re doing with people in your world as well.

Take care! We hope to hear from you soon.”

Summary

Digital storytelling is a great way to share personal stories of recovery, as it can reach many others who can relate to and can be helped by those experiences. Your outreach to expand the Our Stories Have Power campaign can educate and give hope to people who are on their own path to recovery, too.

With the help of simple technology tools and tips for structuring people’s stories, making a digital story of recovery is an exciting and rewarding campaign that can be shared and used in many ways. Your voice will bring this awareness campaign to life, so go ahead and get started!

Resources

Here are some helpful tools, links, and resources.

Videos

Telling Your Recovery Story Learning Management System:
www.edu.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org

How to Give Your Story Power Tutorial (5 Minutes):
www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/advocate/stories

Toolkits

How to Give Your Story Power Toolkit:
www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/resource/our-stories-have-power-toolkit

Weblinks

Faces & Voices of Recovery:
www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org

Opioid Response Network
www.opioidresponsenetwork.org

Our Stories Have Power:
www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/advocate/stories

Submit Your Stories:
www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/advocate/stories/view