The National Council of Urban Indian Health is offering a recorded learning resource focused on using storytelling to create stronger, more community-centered health campaigns.
“Innovating Through Storytelling: Health Campaigns in the Digital Age” was presented on February 26, 2026, as the final session in NCUIH’s Community of Learning series, Navigating the Future of Health Care. The 45-minute webinar explores how Urban Indian Organizations, Tribal partners and healthcare professionals can move beyond simply delivering health messages and instead work alongside community members to develop campaigns that reflect their experiences, priorities and cultural values.
Storytelling can help health organizations communicate information in ways that feel relevant, trustworthy and connected to the people they serve. The session focuses on the importance of including community voices throughout the full campaign process, from identifying the issue and developing messages to selecting digital platforms and evaluating the campaign’s impact.
Participants are introduced to story mapping as a tool for organizing community experiences, identifying shared themes and building health campaigns around lived experience. This approach helps ensure that campaigns are not created solely from an organizational or clinical perspective but are shaped by the knowledge and voices of community members.
The webinar also provides practical strategies for involving community members during campaign planning and implementation. Meaningful engagement may include listening sessions, interviews, advisory groups, community reviews and opportunities for people to share their own stories. These approaches can help organizations create messages that are culturally responsive and grounded in community realities.
The session also examines how organizations can select digital platforms based on the needs and communication habits of their intended audiences. Rather than measuring success only through views, clicks or the number of messages distributed, presenters encourage organizations to consider indicators such as trust, participation, conversation, relationship-building and real-world changes in awareness or behavior.
The webinar is presented by Lyz Best, NCUIH’s Manager of Technical Assistance, and River Carroll, NCUIH’s Policy and Events Communications Associate.
By the end of the session, participants should be able to use story mapping to co-create health campaigns with community members, develop strategies for involving community voices throughout campaign design and implementation, and choose digital platforms and evaluation measures that reflect meaningful engagement and community impact.
The resource is designed for Urban Indian Organization executive directors, CEOs and staff members, as well as Tribal Nations, Tribal partners and others working in Native health communications, outreach and public education.
A recording of the webinar and presentation slides are available for individuals and organizations interested in strengthening their digital health campaigns through culturally grounded and community-led storytelling.
