Effective communications are essential for charities to influence public thinking and create real-world change. We know that by changing the stories we tell about social issues, we can help change the world.
Yet in an age of misinformation and fast-moving culture wars, landing messages that resonate and cut-through has never been harder. Stretched comms teams must navigate distortion, distraction, and harmful claims with limited resources.
This event will showcase practical, evidence-based techniques from across the charity sector for creating powerful narratives that reframe conversations, and help charities to move hearts, minds, and the dial on change.
Is this event for me?
Are you a charity comms professional looking for actionable insights and best practice techniques for creating powerful narratives and reframing conversations so they resonate? Yes? Then this event is for you! The session is ideal for if you’re struggling to make your organisation’s messages land in the current climate.
10:30 - 10:32 | Welcome
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10:32 - 10:35 | Housekeeping
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10:35 - 11:05 | A chorus of voices: shared framing strategies for challenging times In a polarised world, collaboration across sectors, issues, generations and backgrounds is needed more than ever, and we can start with the stories we tell. Drawing on learnings from FrameWorks UK’s Moving Mindsets research, and experience reframing a range of social issues like health, homes and poverty, this session will explore how we can tap into shared ways of thinking and drive change together. This talk will end with a facilitated Q&A.
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11:05 - 11:35 | Shifting the narrative of our food system: how Bite Back moves mindsets How movements communicate has never been more important. Global corporations have known this for decades and used big budgets to become experts in embedding narratives in our culture, narratives that blame individuals for the systemic problems brands have created. This session explores how Bite Back, the youth-led movement fighting against food-related illness, puts psychology and strategic framing at the heart of its campaigning. Through the case study of the “Commercial Break” campaign to restrict junk food advertising to children, the talk will show how youth voices, narrative strategy and carefully tested messaging shifted a narrative and contributed to real change. This talk will end with a facilitated Q&A.
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11:35 - 11:55 | Peer exchange A chance to connect with your peers using Zoom breakout rooms. |
11:55 - 12:00 | Breathing space |
12:00 - 12:30 | Changing the story: where power lies for charity communicators The ground has shifted. Immigration concern is rising, climate concern is falling, and new political movements are tapping into public dissatisfaction. For charities trying to shape debate on social issues, landing messages has never been harder. This session draws on nfpResearch data revealing what MPs, journalists, and the public actually think about charities and their causes. We’ll explore where real influence lies today, which narratives remain open to change, and where the sweet spots are for communicators seeking to move the dial in an increasingly polarised landscape. This talk will end with a facilitated Q&A.
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12:30 | Close
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Adeela Warley 
Vanessa Weddell 
Sophie Gordon 
Rory Gibson 
Tim Harrison-Byrne