SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY strongly believes in the power of lived experience to create change.
Stories Worth Sharing aims to give a voice to the many people who have struggled with their own mental health, supported others, or have been bereaved by suicide.
By sharing stories that promote hope, recovery, learning and reduce stigma, we hope we can bring light to the issue, and provide hope and connection for others who may be going through something similar.
We’ll be sharing a different story every month. If you’d like to share your story, read through the submission guidelines below and submit it through the form.
Keep in mind that sharing your story can also present some risks. Check out these safety tips and tips on writing your story and keeping yourself safe and supported when sharing your story.
Click here to see the powerful stories people have shared.
Story Submission Guidelines
- Stories should be no longer than 750 words.
- Stay ChatTY will edit stories for style, readability and consistency.
- Stay ChatTY will edit stories to remove stigmatising or triggering content.
- Stories must respect the confidentiality of other people and services.
- The purpose of Stories Worth Sharing is to promote messages of hope, recovery and learning, and reduce stigma. Stories can share negative experiences but should focus on content that promote these messages. See the Writing Your Story tip sheet for more information.
- Stories should avoid any graphic descriptions such as detailing of trauma or traumatic experiences, methods or locations of suicides or suicide attempts, specific treatments or medications, etc.
- Stories should not explicitly share experiences that are not the author’s own.
- Stay ChatTY will embed links to support services into the story.
- Stay ChatTY reserves the right to a final edit.
- Stay ChatTY reserves the right not to share the story.
- We ask that all stories are submitted in writing. Once per year Stay ChatTY may look to film some of the Stories Worth Sharing submissions as videos for our social media. We may approach you to film your story
Writing and sharing your story
Need some help in writing your story? Read the Writing Your Story tip sheet for some guiding questions and things to consider. Check out these Mindframe resources for sharing your story for more information.
Sharing your story can come with some risks. Read through this tip sheet for information on keeping yourself safe and support when sharing your story.
