Communications

Liberal Communicators Network: Brain Science and Hope Theory for Effective Social Change

In politics, activism, or even everyday debates, we often spend so much energy explaining what’s wrong. We talk about what’s broken, unjust, or dangerous. But here's a powerful shift: what if we focused more on showing people the solution? The world we actually want?

This short video takes you on a journey into how our brains really work—why most of our decisions aren’t as rational as we think, and how that changes everything about how we create change.

Spoiler: It's not just about facts and logic. It’s about identity. Familiarity. And surprisingly, hope.

You’ll learn why repeating falsehoods (even to debunk them) can backfire, and why showing people new possibilities is more powerful than telling them what’s wrong. The video dives into brain science, social psychology, and a fascinating concept called hope theory—but in a way that’s clear, inspiring, and full of practical insight.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated that people “just don’t get it,” or that change feels too slow, this is for you.

🎥 Watch the full video to understand how real transformation starts—not just in the mind, but in what we dare to imagine. 

Follow our animation educational series to learn more from Thomas Coombes, the Founder and Director of Hope-based Communications, about narrative change and strategies for social change. Discover why hope is a strategy for change. 

Thomas was a trainer at the 4th edition of the Liberal Communicators Network: Non-Profit Academy, inspiring and empowering participants to start using hope-based communications for promoting human rights and liberal democracy.  The concept includes five shifts for better narratives: from fear to hope, from against to for, from problem to solution, from threat to opportunity and from victim to human. 

The LCN-Non-Profit Academy empowers non-profit liberal communicators from civil society organizations, foundations, think tanks, and change-makers with cutting-edge strategies and innovative marketing trends tailored specifically for the mission-driven sector. LCN 2024 Class consists of 45 participants from 23 different countries, who delved into non-profit communications, emerging better prepared to win hearts and minds, influence values and behaviors, and drive societal change towards a forward-looking future.

The LCN Academy is organised by the European Liberal Forum (ELF) with the support of Projekt: Polska and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom for East and Southeast Europe (FNF ESEE).