St. Joseph’s Health Centre of Sudbury: Building an Ethical Storytelling Framework

Challenge (What We Saw)

St. Joseph’s Health Centre of Sudbury recognized the importance of storytelling in strengthening donor connection and demonstrating impact but faced a barrier: how to do it ethically and confidently in a complex healthcare environment. Stories were underutilized due to fear of causing harm or “getting it wrong.” Staff did not know how to identify, invite, and collect stories appropriately, and there was no consistent framework to guide consent, ownership, or use.  

This created a gap between the meaningful experiences happening every day and the organization’s ability to share them in a way that honoured dignity, protected relationships, and supported fundraising and communications. 

Our Perspective/Process

We approached this work from the belief that storytelling is not a communications tactic, it is a responsibility. In healthcare settings especially, stories carry vulnerability, trust, and lived experience. Without a clear ethical foundation, storytelling can unintentionally cause harm, reinforce power imbalances, or erode confidence among staff and participants. 

Our process centered on building a system, not just content. This meant embedding ethical decision-making into every stage of the storytelling journey: from identifying stories to public sharing. We worked to ensure that dignity, consent, and ownership were not checkpoints, but continuous practices. At the same time, we focused on building internal confidence; equipping staff, leadership, and teams with the clarity, tools, and language needed to engage in storytelling in a way that felt safe, respectful, and aligned with organizational values. 

Opportunity for Change (What We Did)

• Developed a comprehensive Ethical Storytelling Framework, including clear stages, roles, and decision-making guidelines 
• Established a consent and ownership model that reinforced storyteller control, including processes for ongoing consent and withdrawal 
• Created standardized tools and templates for story identification, invitation, collection, development, and review 
• Delivered staff and leadership training, building confidence in how to engage with residents, patients, and families respectfully 
• Introduced an ethical review process to ensure all stories align with dignity, privacy, and organizational values before public use  

Outcomes

St. Joseph’s now has a clear, consistent, and ethical approach to storytelling that is embedded across the organization. Staff feel more confident and supported in engaging with individuals and families, resulting in more authentic and meaningful stories being shared. The organization has strengthened its ability to connect with donors through narratives that reflect real impact while maintaining trust, respect, and integrity. Beyond communications and fundraising, this work has contributed to a broader cultural shift: storytelling is no longer seen as transactional, but as a relationship-based practice grounded in dignity and care.