I’m Mel Harwin — Impact consultant, researcher, and storyteller

I am based on Darkinjung Country on the Central Coast of NSW, Australia. For over two decades I've worked alongside communities, NGOs, governments, and changemakers across more than 40 countries — from grassroots language revitalisation projects across Australia to child rights programs across Asia and Africa. What connects all of it is a simple belief: that the people closest to the work are the ones who understand it best, and that real impact happens when we listen first.

My approach is participant-led and story-first. I don't impose frameworks — I build them with you, in ways that reflect your community's voice, your organisation's values, and what's actually achievable with the resources you have

Why I do this work

I got into this work because I've seen what happens when communities aren't given the agency or relevant tools to tell their own story — beyond it being disempowering for individuals, it is also a missed opportunity. Insights and impact get missed, knowledge gets overlooked, and the people making real change go unrecognised.

The Story Way exists to change that.