We believe in a confident social sector able to develop and amplify lived experience stories and expertise to address social inequalities.
We want to see people in positions to use their lived experience of social injustice so they can influence change on that issue.
We work towards greater representation and diversity of the voices we hear in the media and beyond.
Find out more about what we do and who we are.
Our programme creates a network of confident spokespeople, who have direct experience of social injustices. Developed collaboratively with a network of leaders with lived experience, it aims to diversify the voices we hear in the media and in rooms with policymakers and other decision makers. Through training, mentoring, peer support and speaking opportunities, we tackle the barriers that prevent these experts from engaging with the people and platforms that have the power to influence national conversations. Meet the network.
"Being the Story is an amazing platform for those who are working for social change. Not only did it give us a platform, the team behind it pushed our story into the mainstream media where it has been given a lot of attention, enabling us to gain funding to support the countless young people in our communities faced with issues of knife crime."
Simeon Moore, DatsTV
When Amy Thompson was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) shortly after her 21st birthday, her life changed overnight. Alongside coming to terms with her diagnosis, she quickly realised how few spaces existed for young adults navigating life with a hidden disability.
Rather than accept that gap, Amy set out to change it.
When nine-year-old Isaac suggested giving away free food from his family’s driveway, nobody imagined where it would lead. Six years later, what began with an old pop-up greenhouse is now a six-site food bank supporting 5,000 people each year across Redditch. In this blog, his mum Claire Simmons, part of our Spokesperson Leadership Programme, shares their story.
Oksana Kalala is the Founder and Managing Director of New Arrivals CIC, a grassroots charity which supports refugees and migrants and their integration into the UK.
Drawing on her own lived experience, Oksana set out to help others have a less turbulent start in a new country. As one of our 2026 spokespeople, she hopes to gain the confidence, skills and experience to further amplify and support others.
Karina Graham speaks to The Modern Mann podcast about her experience of when her children were removed from her care and her fight with the system to get them back.
In this piece for the Daily Mirror, Dr Allan Njanji writes about Labour’s new asylum plan and the reality of what it means for people seeking asylum in the UK.
Diane Johnson speaks to BBC Look East about being nominated for a West Northants Inspirational Women Award due to her work with EnFold, a charity providing services to the autistic community in Northamptonshire.
