Tools for Storytelling Residency Coursework

Covers the basics of stakeholder needs mapping, levels of impact storytelling and helps participants think through a content strategy and plan. Also goes into the details of using Ghost as the tech tool that can be leveraged for impact storytelling.

Module 1 | Levels of impact storytelling

Session 0

30 minutes - 1 hour, depending on cohort size

Theme

Listening with intent

Materials needed

None

Methodology
Learning outcomes

Session 1

1.5 hours

Theme

Four levels of impact storytelling, from discoverability to visibility and engagement to impact.

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Materials needed

Whiteboard and marker
OR
Chart paper and pen

Methodology

Ground rules to set for all sessions:
- Bring only the devices you need to the session. Note to facilitator: Explain here what is needed for this particular session
- Mute mobile phones before you put them away
- Encourage the participants to take space and make space. To take up space is to speak up and participate actively in discussions and putting their ideas and perspectives across. It is equally important to make space for others to do the same. Note to facilitators: Ensure you check in about this throughout the sessions, especially by making space for those who are not used to taking up space or struggling to do so.
- This is a safe space, and we encourage everyone to check their privilege and ensure that we do not discriminate in speech or action.
- Do remember there are no right or wrong answers. Note to facilitator: Repeating this during the sessions and activities helps participants speak up more freely.

Learning outcomes

Module 2 | Know your audience & their needs

Session 1

2 hours

Theme

Thinking through stakeholder and needs mapping

Materials needed

For the participants: Cards, sketch pens, sticky notes

For the facilitator: Whiteboard or chart papers, marker/sketch pen

Methodology

Ground rules to set for all sessions:
- Bring only the devices you need to the session. Note to facilitator: Explain here what is needed for this particular session
- Mute mobile phones before you put them away
- Encourage the participants to take space and make space. To take up space is to speak up and participate actively in discussions and putting their ideas and perspectives across. It is equally important to make space for others to do the same. Note to facilitators: Ensure you check in about this throughout the sessions, especially by making space for those who are not used to taking up space or struggling to do so.
- This is a safe space, and we encourage everyone to check their privilege and ensure that we do not discriminate in speech or action.
- Do remember there are no right or wrong answers. Note to facilitator: Repeating this during the sessions and activities helps participants speak up more freely.

Learning outcomes

Session 2

1 hour

Theme

Thinking through key stakeholders for the website

Materials needed

For the participants: Sketch pens, chart paper

For the facilitator: Existing stakeholder cards and needs cards

Methodology

Ground rules to set for all sessions:
- Bring only the devices you need to the session. Note to facilitator: Explain here what is needed for this particular session
- Mute mobile phones before you put them away
- Encourage the participants to take space and make space. To take up space is to speak up and participate actively in discussions and putting their ideas and perspectives across. It is equally important to make space for others to do the same. Note to facilitators: Ensure you check in about this throughout the sessions, especially by making space for those who are not used to taking up space or struggling to do so.
- This is a safe space, and we encourage everyone to check their privilege and ensure that we do not discriminate in speech or action.
- Do remember there are no right or wrong answers. Note to facilitator: Repeating this during the sessions and activities helps participants speak up more freely.

Learning outcomes 

Module 3 | Introduction to Ghost

Session 1

1 hour

Theme

Understanding the characteristics of a good website

Materials needed

For the participants: Sticky notes, cards and sketch pens

For the facilitator: Sticky notes and sketch pens

Methodology

Ground rules to set for all sessions:
- Bring only the devices you need to the session. Note to facilitator: Explain here what is needed for this particular session
- Mute mobile phones before you put them away
- Encourage the participants to take space and make space. To take up space is to speak up and participate actively in discussions and putting their ideas and perspectives across. It is equally important to make space for others to do the same. Note to facilitators: Ensure you check in about this throughout the sessions, especially by making space for those who are not used to taking up space or struggling to do so.
- This is a safe space, and we encourage everyone to check their privilege and ensure that we do not discriminate in speech or action.
- Do remember there are no right or wrong answers. Note to facilitator: Repeating this during the sessions and activities helps participants speak up more freely.

Learning outcomes

Session 2

2 hours

Theme

Introduction to Ghost

Methodology

Ground rules to set for all sessions:
- Bring only the devices you need to the session. Note to facilitator: Explain here what is needed for this particular session
- Mute mobile phones before you put them away
- Encourage the participants to take space and make space. To take up space is to speak up and participate actively in discussions and putting their ideas and perspectives across. It is equally important to make space for others to do the same. Note to facilitators: Ensure you check in about this throughout the sessions, especially by making space for those who are not used to taking up space or struggling to do so.
- This is a safe space, and we encourage everyone to check their privilege and ensure that we do not discriminate in speech or action.
- Do remember there are no right or wrong answers. Note to facilitator: Repeating this during the sessions and activities helps participants speak up more freely.


Ghost Sessions  

Notes for the Facilitator

Welcome, Before starting today’s session, please take a moment to carefully read through these important instructions:

Preparation Time:- Ensure you review the entire curriculum at least 40 minutes before the session begins. This will help you understand the flow of the session and address any last-minute clarifications or adjustments.

Important Notes:- There are special notes for facilitators included in this document. These notes highlight key points to focus on during the session.

Materials & Readiness:- Verify that all necessary materials, tools, or resources mentioned in the curriculum are prepared in advance.

Before the session starts, make sure you have Ghost Admin Access for the Ghost website.

1- This access is needed to manage and show things during the session.
2- If you don’t have admin access, please contact the backend support team ahead of time to get it set up.


Session 1:

Ghost Introduction

Theme:

To introduce participants to Ghost, a platform for creating websites, blogs, and newsletters, and inspire them to use it for storytelling.

Materials Neede:
Methodology

Facilitator

 1- Welcome and Warm-Up (5 minutes):
Welcome everyone! Today, we are going to explore Ghost, an amazing platform designed to help you share stories through websites, blogs, and newsletters. The best part? You don’t need any coding experience to get started.

Have you ever wanted to share your stories with others but felt unsure about how to use the technology?
- Ghost is perfect for storytelling, whether you want to share your ideas, connect with a community, or showcase your work.

By the end of this session, you will feel confident and excited to explore Ghost.

2. What is Ghost?
Facilitator:
So, what exactly is Ghost? It’s a simple and user-friendly platform where you can create:

Now, let’s compare this to using a programming language. Imagine you want to create a blog and share weekly updates with your followers or audience. You could solve this problem in two ways:

(Need to add a presentation for better understanding - Ghost vs code or wordpress )

Note for the Facilitator: Please open the provided document(link) and share your screen with the participants. Go through the examples in the document

Example-
Option 1: Use Code - You’d need to:

  1. Write HTML for the structure of your website.

  2. Use CSS to make it look good.

  3. Add JavaScript for any interactive elements. etc….

This requires time, effort, and coding knowledge—and even small mistakes can cause big problems!

Important Note:-   We are not saying you shouldn’t use code. If you enjoy coding or have the skills, it can be an amazing way to create a fully customized website. However, this session is designed for people who may not have coding knowledge or simply want a quicker and easier way to get started. Ghost is a perfect tool for that.

Option 2: Use Ghost- With Ghost, all of this is done for you:

  1. Choose a template to design your blog.

  2. Write and publish your stories using an easy editor—no coding needed.

  3. Send newsletters directly using the built-in tools.

  4. Building web pages for the site.

For Example - In simple terms, using code is like building a car from scratch which takes a lot of time and effort.  while Ghost is like buying a ready-made car that you can customize and start driving right away. Ghost lets you focus on your content and storytelling without worrying about the technical parts.

3. Show Examples (10 minutes)
Facilitator:

Let’s look at some real-life examples to inspire you.

  1. aikyam Fellows: This group uses Ghost to document stories about their amazing work in social impact.  (Show on projector/screen)

  2. The Ignite Foundation: Here’s another example. The Ignite Foundation shares powerful stories about their initiatives using Ghost. (Show on projector/screen)

4. What Makes a Ghost Special? (10 minutes)
Facilitator
Here is why Ghost is so awesome:

  1. Storytelling Made Easy: You can focus on your content without worrying about technical stuff.

  2. Customizable: You can design your site the way you want.

  3. Built-in Tools: Features like newsletters are already included—no need to set up extra tools.

Outcome:

Participants will understand the purpose of Ghost and feel motivated to explore it as a platform for storytelling.


Session 2:

Creating an Account and Setting up Ghost

Theme:

Guide participants to create their own Ghost account and set up their site.

Materials Neede:
Methodology : 

Sign up for Ghost :-Guide participants through creating a Ghost account and setting up their site.
Facilitator Instructions:

Note for the Facilitator:- (Before the session starts, please check that the Ghost link or access has been shared with the participants. This will help everyone be ready for the session.)

1- Ask participants to open their web browser and navigate to the Ghost instance shared with them (provided by aikyam before the session).

2- Instruct them to click “Get Started” and guide them to sign up using their email and set up their site.

Outcome:

Participants will have their own Ghost account and access to the dashboard.



Accessing the Ghost Backend:

Login:- Use the provided credentials to log in to the backend.


Session 3:

Dashboard Overview of Ghost

Theme:

Help participants get comfortable using the Ghost dashboard by explaining the main sections.

Materials Neede:
Methodology

Facilitator Instructions:

Share your screen to show the Ghost dashboard and explain each section-
(Dashboard, View site, Explore, Posts, Drafts, scheduled, Published, pages,tags,Profile)

Navigation to dashboard- Once logged in, share your screen and walk the participants through the following sections:

1- Dashboard:-

2- View Site:-

3- Explore:-

4- Posts:-

Creating a Post :-

6-Pages:

7- Tags:

8- Profile:


Outcome:

Participants will understand how to use the Ghost dashboard, including the purpose of Posts, Pages, and Tags.



Session 4:
Creating a Blog Post
Theme:

To help participants create and format blog posts  using Ghost, and gain confidence in using its key features.

Materials Neede:
Methodology

Creating a Post:-
Teach participants how to create and format a post using Ghost. Show examples of posts to highlight the elements they will use.

Explain the Activity:

Let participants know they will practize creating a post by adding a title, uploading an image, writing content, and using extra elements like buttons and callout boxes.

Facilitator Instructions:-
Direct participants to the Posts section in the left menu. (Ask participants to follow the same steps as you show on screen )

Guide them to:

1- Posts Section:- On the left-hand menu, click on Posts. This will take you to the list of existing posts.

2-New Post:- After opening the "Posts" section, you have two options to create a new post:

3- Add a Title to Your Post:

5- Start Writing Your Content:

6- Use Additional Elements:

Click the “+” button on the left side of the editor to add extra elements such as:

Show the Available Features:

Facilitator Note-
Share this Style Guide example link with participants so they can see a visual example of how to use the available features. to make their posts look better. Go over basic elements like headings, lists, quotes, and images to help them organise and style their post.

Activity: Participants will Create Their Own Blog Post:-
Ask participants to create a blog post on a topic of their choice and ask them to use at least 5 of the features in the blog.

Post Settings

Where to Access Post Settings:

Key Post Settings to Adjust:

  1. URL: Edit the post URL if necessary for SEO or clarity.

  2. Publish Date: Set a future or backdated publishing schedule.

  3. Tags: Add relevant tags to organize your post by topic.

  4. Excerpt: Write a brief summary that will appear in previews.

  5. Authors: Ensure the correct author is assigned.

  6. Featured Post: Find the "Featured" option, turn it on, and click "Update" to save the changes.

Saving and Publishing:-

Facilitator - (check the reference image )
To publish the post and page , look at the top-right corner of your screen. You will see a publish button—click on that.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Saving and Publishing

Outcome -

Participants will -


Session 5 :

Creating a page

Theme:

To help participants create pages  using Ghost, and gain confidence in using its key features.

Materials Neede:
Methodology

Creating a Page:

Facilitator:-
Explain the  difference between posts and pages, and Learn how to create a new page.

Example -Show this example to participants to get the idea how to create a web page. 

Note :- The Facilitator should look at this example before the session starts to understand the interface (UI) and get an idea of how to create a page using Ghost.

Facilitator Instruction: Guide participants through creating a blank page. (Ask participants to follow the same steps as you show on screen )

Guide them to:

1- Page Section:- On the left-hand menu, click on Pages. This will take you to the list of existing pages.

2-New page:- After opening the "page" section, you have two options to create a new page:

  1. Option 1: Click the "+" button to create a new page.

  2. Option 2: In the top-right corner, click the "New Page" button to start creating a new page.

3- Add a Title to Your Page:

5- Start Writing Your Content:

6- Use Additional Elements:

Click the “+” button on the left side of the editor to add extra elements such as:

Show the Available Features:

Facilitator Note-
Share this Style Guide example link with participants so they can see a visual example of how to use the available features. to make their pages look better. Go over basic elements like headings, lists, quotes, and images to help them organise and style their page.

Activity: Participants will Create Page

Ask participants to pick one of the given examples and recreate that web page using the same images and content (they can use dummy content). If they prefer, they can also create their own web page for practice.

Page Settings

Where to Access Page Settings:

Page Settings to Adjust:

  1. URL: Edit the Page URL if necessary for SEO or clarity.

  2. Publish Date: Set a future or backdated publishing schedule.

  3. Tags: Add relevant tags to organize your Page by topic.

  4. Excerpt: Write a brief summary that will appear in previews.

  5. Authors: Ensure the correct author is assigned.

Saving and Publishing

Facilitator - (check the reference image )
To publish the Page and page , look at the top-right corner of your screen. You will see a publish button—click on that.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Saving and Publishing

Outcome:-

Session 6 :

Explaining Post Settings & Page Settings

Theme:

Guide them through how they can access this page settings and post setting.

Materials Neede:
Methodology

The facilitator has to explain to them how they can access this page settings and post setting.

Facilitator - (check the reference image )
To access the page or post settings, look at the top-right corner of your screen. You will see a settings icon—click on that. This will open the settings panel where you can adjust things like the title, URL, tags, and other options for your page or post.

Step by step-
Click on the setting icon in top right.

Key Differences:

Outcome:-

Understanding of page and post setting.


Session 7 :

Advance setting for site & Editing the Theme

Theme:

Guide them through how they can access this page settings and post setting.

Materials Neede:
Methodology

Teach participants how to change site settings and customise the theme following the steps given below.

Facilitator - (check the reference image )
To access the main setting - Open the Ghost dashboard and look at the left menu bar. Scroll down to the bottom, and click on the Settings icon.

Steps: (Ask participants to follow the same steps as you show on screen )

1- General Site Settings (15 minutes)

2- Site Setting

Facilitator:- 

Example :- show the aikyam website and the space website (aikyam fellows, aikyam space )
1- Aikyam fellows   (which is saying"Residency | Making Storytelling Tools Accessible to NGOs: Apply Now " )

2- Aikyam space

Outcome:-

Participants will know how to navigate theme settings to make customizations.


Session 8 :

Adding Team Members

Materials Neede:
Methodology

1. Access the Staff Section

  1. Open the Ghost dashboard.

  2. Scroll down the left menu bar and click on the Settings icon.

  3. Select Staff from the Settings menu.

2. Invite a Team Member

  1. In the Staff section, click the Invite people button.

  2. Enter the team member’s email address.

  3. Choose their role from the dropdown menu (Admin, Editor, Author, Contributor).

  4. Click Send Invitation to send the invite.

Outcome:-

Participants will be able to add team members, assign roles, and understand the permissions each role has for collaboration.


Session 9 :

Managing SEO

Theme:

Introduce participants to basic SEO settings for their posts and pages.

Materials Neede:
Methodology

Facilitator Instructions:
Show how to add meta descriptions, tags, and other SEO-related settings within the post editor and also in site settings.

Manage SEO in Ghost:

For Posts and Pages

Why are Meta Descriptions, Tags, and SEO Settings Important?

Meta descriptions, tags, and SEO settings help your site rank higher on search engines like Google. They make it easier for people to find your posts or pages when they search for relevant topics.

  1. Meta Descriptions:- A short summary of your post or page that appears in search results. It gives users a quick idea of what the page is about.

  2. Site SEO Settings:- These allow you to fine-tune how your site appears in search results, improving visibility and helping more visitors find your content.

Setting these up properly improves the chances that your audience will discover your content through search engines.


Outcome:- 

Participants will understand basic SEO settings in Ghost to improve visibility.


Module 4 | Reach out to your audience

Session

2 hours

Theme

Using Ghost newsletters optimally to reach out to, and engage with audiences

Matherials needed

For the particpants: Chart paper (half size; to be prepped beforehand), sketch pens, title cards with Ghost formatting features listed like Title, Excerpt, Image gallery, etc (to be prepped beforehand).

For the facilitator: Laptop and a big screen to mirror the laptop screen

Methodology

Ground rules to set for all sessions:
- Bring only the devices you need to the session. Note to facilitator: Explain here what is needed for this particular session
- Mute mobile phones before you put them away
- Encourage the participants to take space and make space. To take up space is to speak up and participate actively in discussions and putting their ideas and perspectives across. It is equally important to make space for others to do the same. Note to facilitators: Ensure you check in about this throughout the sessions, especially by making space for those who are not used to taking up space or struggling to do so.
- This is a safe space, and we encourage everyone to check their privilege and ensure that we do not discriminate in speech or action.
- Do remember there are no right or wrong answers. Note to facilitator: Repeating this during the sessions and activities helps participants speak up more freely.

Learning Outcomes

Module 5 | Understand audience behaviour through analytics

Session

30 minutes

Theme

Using Plausible for website analytics

Methodology

Ground rules to set for all sessions:
- Bring only the devices you need to the session. Note to facilitator: Explain here what is needed for this particular session
- Mute mobile phones before you put them away
- Encourage the participants to take space and make space. To take up space is to speak up and participate actively in discussions and putting their ideas and perspectives across. It is equally important to make space for others to do the same. Note to facilitators: Ensure you check in about this throughout the sessions, especially by making space for those who are not used to taking up space or struggling to do so.
- This is a safe space, and we encourage everyone to check their privilege and ensure that we do not discriminate in speech or action.
- Do remember there are no right or wrong answers. Note to facilitator: Repeating this during the sessions and activities helps participants speak up more freely.

  1. Introduction (5 minutes)
    • Activity: Pose an open-ended question: "Now that your website is live, what do you think should happen next?"
      Encourage responses like "reaching people," "making an impact," or "getting feedback."
    • Lead the discussion to "How do we measure if our website is achieving its goals?" and introduce the concept of analytics as the answer.

  2. Setting Context (5 minutes)
    • Discuss the basic analytics available within Ghost (or the CMS they've used).
      Example: Number of posts published, views on each post, etc.
    • Explain why external analytics tools like Plausible offer deeper insights.
      "Ghost gives you some data, but what if you want to know where visitors come from or how long they stay?"

  3. Hands-On Exploration of Metrics (15 minutes)
    • Share common website metrics, and explain their relevance using relatable examples:
      • Visitors & Entry Pages: "What’s the first page most people see?"
      • Exit Pages: "Where do people stop engaging?"
      • Bounce Rate (BR):
        • Definition: Percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only one page.
        • Example: "If 100 people visit your website and 50 leave without exploring other pages, your BR is 50%."
        • Activity: Create a fictional scenario (e.g., a website with a blog) and ask participants to guess why the bounce rate might be high.
      • Traffic Sources: Explain the significance of knowing where visitors are coming from (e.g., social media, search engines).
      • User Demographics: Highlight how knowing the countries, devices, and browsers helps optimize websites.
      • Goals & Properties: Use examples like tracking newsletter sign-ups or resource downloads.

  4. Exploring the Plausible Dashboard (5 minutes)
    • Give a quick walkthrough of the Plausible interface:
      • Highlight its simplicity, privacy focus, and key features like real-time data, goals, and reports.
      • Discuss team management and how multiple people can collaborate on analytics.

  5. Closing (5 minutes)
    • Emphasize how analytics can guide decision-making: "Now you know how many visitors come and what they do on your site. What’s next? Optimize the user journey!"
    • Encourage participants to ask questions about metrics they find confusing or intriguing.
Learning Outcomes

Module 6 | No-stress ways to write better

Session 1

1 hour

Theme

Rethink what we mean by good writing, and prepare to write better.

Methodology

Ground rules to set for all sessions:
- Bring only the devices you need to the session. Note to facilitator: Explain here what is needed for this particular session
- Mute mobile phones before you put them away
- Encourage the participants to take space and make space. To take up space is to speak up and participate actively in discussions and putting their ideas and perspectives across. It is equally important to make space for others to do the same. Note to facilitators: Ensure you check in about this throughout the sessions, especially by making space for those who are not used to taking up space or struggling to do so.
- This is a safe space, and we encourage everyone to check their privilege and ensure that we do not discriminate in speech or action.
- Do remember there are no right or wrong answers. Note to facilitator: Repeating this during the sessions and activities helps participants speak up more freely.

Outcomes

Session 2

2.5 hours

Theme

Hacks and tools to write better

Materials needed

For the participants: Laptop

For the facilitator: https://wiki.aikyamfellows.org/books/comms-for-good-lets-write-better-starting-now/page/just-write 

Methodology
Learning outcomes