Change the Story

We want to change the story
we tell about what
it means to be human.

 

What is #ChangeTheStory?

In January 2023, we launched a month-long campaign celebrating the humanity that exists in the world, bringing together volunteers and the organisations they help, to #ChangeTheStory.

What needs to change?

The simple truth is that most of us care deeply about one another and the world around us. We see volunteers regularly give their time and their skills, to help others. And yet every day, we receive messages from our workplaces, from advertising and politics, and popular culture that people are primarily driven by ‘selfish’ values such as power, wealth and status. 

Research by the Common Cause Foundation has found that 74% of people in the UK place greater importance on values like kindness, helpfulness and equality than values like wealth, achievement and ambition. However, most of us (77%) tend to underestimate others, assuming that people are more likely to place more importance on self-interested values than on values of justice and care. This is called the ‘perception gap’.

Why does it matter?

We all have a role in contributing to a healthier, happier, fairer and more sustainable world and this misperception holds us back from playing our part in addressing society’s issues like inequality and the climate crisis.

When we wrongly believe that the majority of people prioritise values such as wealth, power or influence, over values such as caring for others and the natural world, we are less likely to support social and environmental change and are more likely to feel isolated from others.

The story we tell ourselves about what it means to be human is important.

What happened?

In January 2023, organisations and their volunteers from across the UK joined us for a social media takeover during which we flooded social with positive messages about humanity and the values we hold. 

This was just the start. We want to continue celebrating the powerful values that underpin volunteering, and create the cultural shift that we need for social change. 

It’s time to #ChangeTheStory. Together, we will change the world!

Get involved

Find out more about how you can help #ChangeTheStory using the buttons below:

 

Our Partners

We are proud to partner with the following organisations on this campaign. Find out about becoming a campaign partner

 

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