C.L.E.A.R. Stories Framework
Have you considered involving people with lived experience to speak about your work in the media? This can be a powerful and meaningful practice, but it must be done carefully.
To ensure participants do not feel exposed or used when sharing personal stories in public settings, you must take a person-centred approach.
The C.L.E.A.R. Stories Framework promotes involvement that is ethical, respectful, and genuinely empowering for those sharing their experiences.
What is C.L.E.A.R Stories Framework?
The C.L.E.A.R Stories Framework is designed to equip media professionals and other involved organisations to prepare and support people with lived experience for media involvement. It ensures participants and their stories are protected through informed consent whilst remaining true to their narrative. Following this guidance protects participants against harmful stereotypes and promotes respectful, trust-based interactions, enabling control of how a person’s experiences are shared and used.
We acknowledge that it isn’t always easy to match up to the principles embodied within the C.L.E.A.R. Stories Framework, but, with some humility, we will champion those principles nonetheless. Consent Led, Empowering and Authentic Representation. However you choose to run your participation project, please keep the C.L.E.A.R. principles in mind, and do what you can to uphold them.
Resources
Start with our quick course to build your understanding, then use the resources as a reference throughout your project.
C.L.E.A.R Stories Framework resource library
Free access to guidance documents and other helpful resources.
C.L.E.A.R Stories Framework quick course
Develop an understanding of practical application of our C.L.E.A.R Stories Framework in this short, interactive course.
Proudly Sponsored by Specsavers
The C.L.E.A.R. Stories Framework was developed by Vision Care for Homeless People and Expert Focus and piloted by a group of experts by experience in Bristol. The intellectual property rights subsisting in, arising out of and relating to this project are jointly owned by Vision Care for Homeless People and Expert Focus.
The Impact
Involving people with lived experience in service evaluation, conferences, research or media communications is complicated, difficult and rarely will everything go to plan. Much of the guidance contained in C.L.E.A.R Stories Framework has come from a two year project where Expert Focus, Vision Care for Homeless People and Specsavers worked together in Bristol to run a participation group of people with experience of homelessness. The group piloted this Framework. We are very grateful to them. We have learned and practiced alongside each other.
The effort involved is justified. Our Bristol group’s expertise has been utilised extensively. At their regular sessions, they have critiqued opticians’ services and pinpointed how the patient journey can create barriers for people with vulnerabilities. Their feedback has been used in training Specsavers staff and made the dificulties people affected by homlessness have in accessing eyecare understood much more widely.
Amplifying Voices, Driving Change
By speaking at conferences and appearing on film, participants have persuaded opticians to volunteer, both at Vision Care for Homeless People’s clinics and at Specsavers stores, running hundreds of dedicated eyecare sessions for people experiencing homelessness. The group has also undertaken peer-outreach, where they brought people who would otherwise not access services in to get eye tests and glasses. Their views have been put to politicians in parliament.
Our ultimate aim is to promote lived experience involvement that has substance and gives people a voice in order to move the dial on societal issues.
Why it’s needed
Participation by people with personal experience of challenges is key to understanding and tackling social disadvantage. There are many examples of media participation by people with lived experience which has been done respectively and delivers great impact. However, there have been instances where participants have been exploited by the media, service providers, and even charities, particularly in public-facing projects.
There is always the risk of traumatising or retraumatising participants, who may end up expressing their gratitude for the services they have received by disclosing more than it is safe to do outside the confidential structure of a therapeutic environment.
Sign up to our newsletter
If you would like to receive Vision Care news and updates please subscribe to our mailing list for our quarterly newsletter, which contains news on the charity, plus volunteering and fundraising opportunities.
We will not share your personal information with any other organisation.