Story Booth Host
3 hrs / eventSit beside someone as they record their first story. Hold the silence.
- Greet storytellers and walk them through consent
- Operate the recorder, label files, upload to drive
- Make sure every voice leaves feeling honoured
← Back to UNMUTEGive a few hours.
Community & Guidelines
Give a few hours.
Hold the room with us.
UNMUTE is built by ordinary people doing small, careful things — and by the trust we keep with each other.
Below: volunteer roles you can step into, and the rules of engagement every participant agrees to.
Community Service Roles
Registration & Welcome
2 hrs / eventThe first warm face at the door. The reason a nervous person stays.
- Check-in guests, badges, seating
- Hand out the evening's keepsake
- Hold the room's first impression with care
Photography
Full eventCapture the unguarded — the listening face, the held hand, the laugh.
- Shoot candid documentary photos
- Respect 'do not photograph' badges
- Hand over edited selects within 7 days
Videography
Full eventFilm the room breathing. The pauses matter more than the punchlines.
- Multi-angle coverage of speakers and audience
- Capture B-roll, sound design notes
- Deliver a 60–90 sec recap reel + raw files
Community Support
FlexibleBe the quiet presence near the empty chair. Tea, tissues, time.
- Watch for guests who go silent or step out
- Offer water, a seat, a gentle check-in
- Loop in facilitators when someone needs care
Social Media
2 hrs / weekTurn whispers into posts. Carry the chapter beyond the room.
- Schedule reels, quotes, behind-the-scenes
- Reply to DMs with the UNMUTE voice
- Respect storyteller consent in every post
The Volunteer Pledge
"I will listen more than I speak. I will guard the stories shared in this room. I will leave the chair a little warmer than I found it."
The Rules of Engagement
UNMUTE is built on trust.
Every participant agrees to these principles.
- Listen to understand, not to respond.
- Every voice has equal value.
- Respect different experiences.
- Speak from your own experience.
- Confidential stories remain confidential unless explicit permission is given.
- No judgement.
- No fixing people.
- No unsolicited advice.
- No political campaigning.
- No religious conversion or preaching.
- No selling products or services.
- Everyone has the right to pass.
- Silence is participation.
- Every story deserves dignity.
- We honour courage, not perfection.
- Phones remain silent during stories.
- Applause is welcome.
- Comparison is not.
Psychological Safety
How do we ensure psychological safety?
Psychological safety is the foundation of UNMUTE. Without it, stories never emerge. We create safety before vulnerability.
Before every event
- ·Participants receive community guidelines.
- ·Consent forms explain recording permissions.
- ·Nobody is pressured to speak.
- ·Nobody is called upon unexpectedly.
- ·Hosts never challenge personal experiences.
- ·Facilitators validate feelings without trying to diagnose or solve them.
- ·Stories are never interrupted.
- ·Volunteers are trained in respectful communication.
- ·Sensitive topics receive additional support.
Participants choose
Private StoryCommunity StoryPodcast StoryPublic Story
If someone becomes emotionally overwhelmed, a quiet reflection space is available with a trained volunteer who offers presence and practical support, while recognizing that UNMUTE is not a therapy or crisis intervention service.
The promise of UNMUTE
- You will never be forced to speak.
- You will never be judged if you do.
- You will never be ignored if you choose to.
Story Submission
How do people submit stories?
Every story begins with an invitation. Participants may submit stories before, during or after an event. Story submission asks five questions.
- 1What happened?
- 2Why did this experience matter?
- 3What changed because of it?
- 4What did you learn?
- 5How might your story help someone else?
Submission categories
Student LifeLeadershipFailureCareerEntrepreneurshipMental WellbeingFamilyHealthIdentityBelongingPurposeRecoveryResilience
Selection criteria
AuthenticityClarityCommunity relevanceLearningHope
Not every story becomes a stage story. Every story becomes part of the listening movement.
What we are not
What makes UNMUTE different?
- UNMUTE is not an open mic.
- UNMUTE is not networking.
- UNMUTE is not therapy.
- UNMUTE is not motivational speaking.
- UNMUTE is not a conference.
UNMUTE is a Listening Movement.
Open mics celebrate performance.
UNMUTE celebrates authenticity.
Networking events exchange business cards.
UNMUTE builds meaningful relationships.
Conferences deliver expert opinions.
UNMUTE values lived experience.
Podcasts ask questions.
UNMUTE first listens to the community, then creates conversations around what it hears.
Every event produces
StoriesInsightsCommunityResearchMediaRecommendations
UNMUTE creates belonging before influence.
Transformation
What transformation should a participant feel?
Arriving, they may feel
- Anxious.
- Disconnected.
- Unheard.
- Curious.
- Unsure.
Leaving, they should feel
- I was heard.
- I listened differently.
- I am not alone.
- My story matters.
- Other people carry invisible struggles too.
- I have hope.
- I belong.
- I want to return.
- I want to bring someone next time.
The success of UNMUTE is not measured by applause. It is measured by how many people leave feeling more connected than when they arrived.
That is the transformation we exist to create.
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