Where the current work of The Telling Project focuses on community engagement at a grassroots level between veterans, military families and civilians, The Telling Project Institute (TPI) takes a top-down approach. Working with civic leaders and decision makers in business, media, education in communities across the United States, The Telling Project Institute hosts TPI Summits. Modeled after the Salzburg Seminars and the Aspen Institute, a Summit consists of two parts: a private staging of a Telling performance for decision-makers featuring local veterans and military families; followed by a series of structured discussions engaging leaders with veterans and military family members from their community.

Summit attendees then draft five or more resolutions to be taken back to their respective organizations and communities. These resolutions can address any area related to military service, military families and veterans, e.g.: employment, housing and service issues affecting veterans; issues surrounding the civilian/military divide; issues of citizenship and service.

After the Summit, TPI staff follows-up with participants at scheduled intervals to evaluate how well and how better these resolutions might be realized, and continues to work with the organizations and individuals involved to evolve their understanding, policies and programs regarding veterans and military families.

Bringing decision-makers into direct contact with a veteran cohort – one that is skilled in presentation and public speaking – accomplishes two things in particular. On a formal level, the resolutions coming out of each Summit provide host communities with a deeper understanding of issues facing veterans and military families while providing tangible, trackable benchmarks. TPI also provides a national network of organizations, institutions and individuals who are able to draw from the perspective and expertise of The Telling Project staff as well as from one another, adding a collaborative layer to the work.

Through the Institute, The Telling Project continues its work promoting and invigorating the military and military families as institutions of American communities and culture, providing public platforms at local and regional levels for communities to connect to, appreciate and understand their veteran and military family populations.  Through this work, The Telling Project continues to deepen public understanding of the military experience, easing veterans’ transitions back to civilian society socially, professionally and personally, and facilitating more robust engagement on the part of civilians in their communities, nation and the world.
For more information or to schedule a Summit in your community email info@thetellingproject.org.

Benefits of Participating in a Telling Project Institute Summit

• A chance to interact with those who have served by listening to their stories and engaging in meaningful dialog which can provide a competitive advantage to your organization when it comes to recruiting disciplined, highly trained and motivated individuals to take your enterprise to the next level.
• A richer understanding of the military experience which can help attract veterans and their families to your business/organization.
• A clearer picture of how to strengthen your organization/community by identifying the skills and talents veterans provide.
• An opportunity to network with community leaders from a variety of disciplines.
• Access to information on best practices from organizations and communities all over the country.
• Supportive staff to help you implement these best practices in your organization/business.