The Challenge: Move Beyond Brand Sponsorship to Build Something Communities Could Use

Audible wanted to bring its commitment to storytelling and social impact to life in Canada in a way that created meaningful access and opportunity. Rather than begin with a pre-designed campaign, Yulu recommended starting with research and listening to understand where Audible’s resources, platform and creative-industry relationships could be useful.

The challenge was not simply to generate awareness. It was to build a credible program that respected Indigenous leadership, reduced barriers to participation and created practical pathways into an industry where emerging First Nations, Inuit and Métis writers have historically faced unequal access to mentorship, representation and commercial opportunities.

The Strategy: Listen First, Then Build With Community

Yulu led a six-month discovery process before designing the program. The work included landscape research, conversations with rightsholders and community members, and guidance from Indigenous literary leaders and cultural advisors. Those insights shaped the program architecture rather than being used to validate an idea that had already been decided.

From the beginning, Indigenous leadership was built into the model. Yulu engaged Indigenous mentors during program development and delivery, worked with Indigenous cultural consultant Bob Goulais, partnered with Indigenous people and organizations wherever possible, and built flexibility into the program so Indigenous timelines and priorities could guide implementation.

The selection process is led by Indigenous literary artists. Participants are paired with First Nations, Inuit and Métis mentors and take part in workshops led by Indigenous writers and industry experts. The program also provides bursary funding, media training, access to creative-industry networks and opportunities to explore publishing and audio storytelling pathways.

Results & Impact

• 120+ emerging Indigenous writers supported across six years
• 20+ participants with published works or book deals 
• 1,200+ hours of mentorship and training delivered across the program’s first five years
• 70+ workshops and firsthand learning experiences delivered by Indigenous literary artists and industry experts across the program’s first five years
• 100+ earned media features across Indigenous-led, Indigenous-read and national outlets
• 1,000+ applications received across four years of tracked recruitment
• Near-zero participant attrition across the program’s history
• Six figures in unrestricted participant funding directed to reducing barriers to participation

What Yulu Built

• Impact program architecture and annual program strategy: A repeatable six-month model that can evolve cohort by cohort while preserving clear principles around Indigenous leadership, access, mentorship and community.
• Mentor and advisor network: Yulu recruits and supports acclaimed Indigenous literary artists and advisors. Selected mentors from across the program’s history are linked below.
• Participant experience and access: Monthly one-on-one mentorship, small-group workshops, bursaries, media training, publishing guidance, peer connection and an ongoing alumni community help participants build both craft and professional networks.
• Community engagement and outreach: Yulu works with Indigenous organizations, literary networks and community partners to build awareness, invite participation and ensure outreach reaches the people the program is intended to serve.
• Measurement and continuous improvement: The program tracks participation, completion, mentorship, skills development, publishing outcomes, representation, media visibility, participant experience and alumni progress so the model can continue to evolve around what participants value most.

What This Model Demonstrates for Brands

• Listen before designing. Strong community programs begin with discovery, not a finished idea.
• Share power. Community members, advisors and subject-matter leaders should shape how the program works and how success is defined.
• Build lasting capacity. Invest in mentorship, relationships, skills and career pathways that remain useful and create value beyond a cohort, campaign or funding cycle.
• Use brand assets strategically. Audible contributed what it could uniquely offer: storytelling expertise, creative-industry relationships, platform access and resources.
• Measure outcomes beyond media. Publishing, representation, confidence, completion, professional opportunities, community and alumni engagement are part of the impact story.
• Design for durability. A credible brand-purpose program should become more useful to its community over time, not disappear when the campaign ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Writers’ Circle combine funding with longer-term support?

• The Writers’ Circle combines participant funding with six months of mentorship, workshops and industry connections, alongside an ongoing alumni community. The aim is to reduce barriers to participation while building relationships and opportunities that continue beyond each cohort.

How is Indigenous leadership built into the program?

• Indigenous literary artists, mentors, advisors and cultural leaders have shaped the program from development through delivery. Participant selection is led by Indigenous literary artists, mentor representation spans First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, and the program is designed to adapt to Indigenous priorities and timelines.

What does Yulu manage?

• Yulu supports end-to-end program strategy and delivery, including research, program architecture, mentor recruitment, participant communications, workshops, community engagement, operations, measurement, earned media and alumni programming.

What outcomes does Yulu measure beyond media coverage?

• The program tracks outcomes such as completion, mentorship experience, skills development, publishing and representation, professional opportunities, participant confidence, alumni engagement and sustained community connection.

Can this kind of model work in other sectors or communities?

• Yes, but the model should not simply be copied. Yulu begins with listening and co-design so the structure reflects the community, issue, geography and brand resources involved. The transferable element is the process: research, shared design, community leadership, capacity building, long-term infrastructure and meaningful measurement.