About the Guide

This collaborative guide is the outcome of the Regional Hope-Based Communications Bootcamp, held on 20–22 May 2025 in Istanbul. The bootcamp brought together civil society professionals from the Western Balkans and Türkiye to reimagine how CSOs can shape public perception and communicate with purpose and hope.

Organised by the Third Sector Foundation of Türkiye (TÜSEV) with the support of the EU TACSO 3 People-to-People (P2P) Programme, the event created a space for dialogue, co-creation, and learning. Participants explored reputation management, communication strategies, creative tools, and ways to make civil society’s impact more visible.

Guided by the principles of hope-based communication, the bootcamp combined interactive workshops, visual storytelling, and participatory design. The result is this guide: a practical and inspiring roadmap for CSOs seeking to strengthen their legitimacy, public trust, and role in democratic governance.

At its heart, the guide reflects the collective wisdom and creativity of the participants, and it serves as both a resource and an invitation—to tell new stories, to build stronger connections with the public, and to communicate with hope.