About the Event

In a time of shrinking civic space and deepening public distrust, effective communication has never been more critical for civil society. Traditional approaches often rely on fear or urgency, unintentionally reinforcing negative perceptions. A new, hopeful narrative is needed.

This People-to-People (P2P) event, organised by the Third Sector Foundation of Türkiye (TÜSEV) with support from the EU TACSO 3 project, will bring together civil society professionals, communication experts, and creative activists for a three-day bootcamp on hope-based communication.

Participants will explore how to shift from defensive or crisis-focused messaging to bold, positive storytelling that inspires trust and promotes civil society’s legitimacy. Through participatory labs, creative experimentation, and co-creation, the group will develop a practical, collaborative handbook to guide strategic communication and advocacy work across Türkiye’s civil society sector.

Event Objectives

The event will:

• Equip participants with the tools to apply hope-based, value-driven communication strategies in their work.

• Promote creative campaigning methods that engage the public through storytelling, visual framing, humor, and design.

• Build stronger peer networks among civil society communicators and advocacy professionals.

• Co-create a practical roadmap and handbook to support future reputation and legitimacy strategies for CSOs in Türkiye.

• Foster a positive shift in the public perception of civil society’s role, transparency, and impact.

Target Participants

The bootcamp will engage participants, including:

• Civil society professionals working in advocacy, communications, and community outreach.

• Experts in legitimacy, accountability, and reputation management.

• Communication specialists and creative activists working at the intersection of social change, media, and storytelling.

• National and international facilitators from organisations such as HeartMind Design, Fine Acts, and Hope-Based Communications.