Only Human Stories has spent twenty years working with nonprofits of all sizes across Australia and New Zealand — helping them make the most of anniversaries, origin stories, and leadership transitions.
We use your First-Person Advantage — the intelligence that already exists in your relationships — to help organisations build their capability and work better together every day.
In the beginning
When Only Human Stories launched in 2006, story work was just beginning to gain traction in Australia. Moya Sayer-Jones, designer Clive Jones, and photographer Dean Dolja had been working together on nonprofit and government narrative projects and were excited by what was possible — and unhappy about what was being missed.
What was being missed was the significant bit.
Nonprofits at the turn of the century were, almost without exception, suffocatingly organisational in the way they described themselves, what they did, and the impact they made.
The Joke
It was like that old joke…
“That’s enough about me, let’s talk about you…. What do you think of me?”
Everything was ‘about us’, even when the intention was sincerely to advocate for their clients and cause. It was all filtered and organised through a third-person ‘professional’ voice. Any outside ideas, insights, and knowledge that somehow crept in, still pointed back to the organisation and framed as evidence. ‘Stories’ were most often glorified testimonials.
It was blandsville.
Coming from the arts sector, where difference is celebrated and creativity is the point, this was a big shock for these creatives.
The Discovery
What Moya was discovering in lounge rooms and kitchens as she gathered the stories for the first books, was the value of the experiences being left on the table. She heard ideas and insights that were invaluable, told in words that grabbed and held attention. What worked, what didn’t, what hurt, what helped, and ways to survive and thrive that everyone should know.
The intelligence was there. It just wasn’t being gathered. And when it was, it was being funnelled straight back through an organisational lens and watered down with safe, professional language. The intelligence available just wasn’t making its way to where it needed to go, both inside and outside the organisation — for planning, advocacy, service design, client relationships and more.
Never let go
Only Human Stories was the first dedicated nonprofit story strategist in Australia to champion the value of first-person voice. We believed then that the moment an organisation steps out of its own way to invite others to bring what they know, the intelligence blossoms.
One voice becomes the voice of many. One person’s idea becomes part of a shared intelligence. And the world wants to know about it.
For many organisations, dropping the formal “we know best” language and “about us” thinking still meets resistance. Can this implicit understanding of who we are really build our reputation? Is sharing what staff, clients and others know really a good investment?
We have never let go of this belief. We are, as Moya puts it, terrier dogs guarding the value of shared intelligence and the real words to express it.
Twenty years of work
Over two decades we’ve produced story collections, films, campaigns, and strategic projects across mental health, disability, aged care, family services, arts and culture, education, veteran support, housing, and more. Published collections include They, In My Life, Beyond the Call, Home Free, and With Open Arms — work that gave voice to people and communities rarely heard in their own words.
These days our focus is helping organisations use their anniversaries, origin stories and leadership transitions to find the clarity and connections they deserve.
This year, we turn 20. And we’re doing what we always do.
We’re gathering.
Over the course of this anniversary year, Moya will be reconnecting with past clients, partners, and storytellers from across two decades of work — asking them what they learned, what they’d do differently, what has stayed with them and changed the way they work.
And of course we’ll be sharing what we discover right here. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
If you’ve been part of the Only Human story — as a client, a partner, a storyteller, or a supporter — we’d love to hear from you this year.
What did we make together?
What did you discover?
What are you still carrying forward?
This is your invitation.