Voicing the Void, based in Northern Ireland, is working to spark change on a personal and national level. Their work begins by supporting individuals to tell their story, but frequently creates opportunities for greater systemic change through bridging divides and creating dialogue with those in places of power or influence.
At the heart of Voicing the Void's mission are three pillars: support, storytelling, and civic engagement. This transformative process encourages individuals to discover their voices, tell their stories, and spark change within their communities. While participants have the option to keep their stories private, many choose to share them, hoping to prevent others from facing similar struggles.
Understanding that the storytelling process can bring up strong emotions, Voicing the Void offers tailored support ensuring a safe and empowering environment for everyone.
The impact of the work is multifaceted, ranging from policy change to sparking meaningful conversations within communities. Their work is rooted in the belief that stories have the power to bring people together and ignite positive change on a bigger scale.
Speakers at a Voicing the Void event for Hate Crime Awareness week.
Right to be heard
In 2024, Voicing the Void launched a project called ‘Right to be Heard’, which focused on empowering victims of serious crimes to ensure their voices were heard at parole board meetings in Northern Ireland. Although victims are legally permitted to present witness statements in person, this can be challenging, leading many to submit written statements instead.
Rory Doherty, founder and CEO of Voicing the Void, said: “When a crime is committed, often the victim gets further and further removed from the court system. We supported the group to have the opportunity to be more involved, have their experiences heard, and feel like part of the process. For some, it gives them back a sense of control that they felt was removed when the harm was caused."
In Our Shoes
Following a rise in hate and racist crimes in South Belfast in 2024, Voicing the Void ran a project called ‘In Our Shoes’ for people affected by these crimes.
The group were supported to share their experiences and developed a training resource for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). They advocated for improved policies and procedures to better equip the PSNI for working with those affected by hate crimes. Zakia, a member of the group who shared her story, said that the event was impactful and created a valuable space for dialogue.
“We wanted to shed a light on what people actually go through when they're subjected to hate crime. Because if the police don't have any insights, they don't have an understanding of it. It made me feel like I had space in the room, and like I was being listened to for once.”
Participants at the Hate Crime Awareness week event presenting Journeys of Hope, a moving spoken word piece.
Loughshore Stories
Loughshore is an educational centre for young people who cannot attend mainstream schools. Currently, it is working with Voicing the Void for the second time to provide support for its students through a project called ‘Loughshore Stories’. Loughshore specialises in assisting children with complex behavioural, social, and special educational needs.
Voicing the Void is delivering workshops using community resilience models, including storytelling, providing opportunities for the students to share their stories.
Tragically, one of the steering group members involved in this project, Gerard Mullan, passed away by suicide in 2024. Gerard was deeply committed to Voicing the Void and believed in the power of inspiring others. In his memory, Voicing the Void plans to continue this project to honour Gerard and to continue inspiring others.
Restorative playwriting
Voicing the Void is currently running a project aimed at members of the LGBTQIA community in Northern Ireland, creating space for them to share their experiences through restorative storytelling.
Working with a playwright, those who want to share their stories will be supported to create a short performance piece that will be showcased at a festival, planned for Autum 2025. The festival will feature stories from various Voicing the Void projects, creating space for people to hear voices from across different communities and connect.
“Hopefully people will see similarities and connections, or connect with someone else’s story. That’s what our work is all about, healing through connection,” Rory said.
Steps for the future
There’s lots more on the horizon for Voicing the Void, including creating a new OCN qualification in restorative storytelling to ensure programme participants can gain it.
For the latest updates on the projects Voicing the Void is running, and how to get involved, you can follow them on social media.
- Voicing the Void received a grant through our Northern Ireland programme to support their work in restorative storytelling for change in March 2023. This was initially £75,000 over 18 months but was extended in September 2024 to include an additional £55,000 over 12 months.