Training

Liberal Communicators Network (LCN): Non-Profit Academy 2024

About the Academy

The LCN-Non-Profit Academy will empower liberal communicators to adapt cutting-edge communication strategies, innovation, and marketing trends for the specific context of the mission-driven sector. By innovating non-profit communications, liberals will be better equipped to win the hearts and minds, influence shifts in values and behaviour, and achieve societal change for a forward-looking Europe.

LCN strives to develop a professional community of non-profit communicators from civil society organizations, foundations, think tanks, change-makers, working on liberal topics. Join the Academy to become a member of this European network of marketing professionals. This LCN Edition focuses on the liberal non-profit actors, not on political parties.

The Academy ‘Make a Good Message Better’ offers webinars with thought leaders, best-selling authors, world-class trainers, who will bring everybody on the ‘same page’ with the latest trends in non-profit brand management, communications strategy, digital and content marketing, hope-based communications in democracy promotion and human rights, messaging and more.

The 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) for a fourth year now. The Academy is part of an umbrella programme – the Liberal Communicators Network (LCN), between ELF Secretariat, Projekt: Polska, Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF ESEE) and European Liberal Youth (LYMEC).

Application

Please apply here by 14 April (midnight).

Applications will be assessed on the basis of criteria in the Call for Application. Selected participants will be notified latest by 23 April. 

The Academy in Short

• Short, interactive and engaging online sessions spread out over 2 months, in the end of business day, at most twice a week.
• 120 min webinars with thought leaders such as Thomas Coombes (UK), Founder and Director of Hope-based Communications, Communications and Human Rights Strategist, Expert on Strategies for Social Change, a TED-speaker, Former Head of Brand and Deputy Communications Director of Amnesty International
• 120 min hands-on workshops with world-class trainers specialized in non-profit marketing and rich consulting experience from USA: Kivi Leroux Miller (USA), CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide, Award-winning Author “Content Marketing for Nonprofits”
• All successful alumni will become members of LCN professional community of liberal marketers and communicators in Europe.
• This LCN Academy focuses on the liberal non-profit actors, not on political parties.
• Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst, PhD Student in Political Economy at King’s College London; Former Secretary General of IFLRY; a renowned international facilitator and moderator.

Application Criteria

• Work fully or part-time on communications in Europe.
• Work or volunteer in an ELF organization and FNF; partners of ELF and FNF; liberal civil society organizations and activists in Europe. The ideal combination per country: a representative of ELF member, FNF and local liberal organization.
• Completed Application Form. We do take seriously the form, so do try to stand out.

Compliance Obligatory Criteria

• Candidates in upcoming local, national, or European elections and paid campaign staff cannot participate in the training.
• If the participant is a member of staff or official (in elected or administrative function) of a political party, they must pay a participation fee of 20% of the services rendered as calculated by the ELF Secretariat (the flat fee that does not vary by country of residence.)
• If participant is not a candidate at the time of the event but becomes a candidate within 12 months following the training, they will have to pays a participation fee 50%-90% of the services according to country of residence.
• If the participant is none of the above, the participation is free of charge.

Assessment Criteria

• Commitment to active participation in all Academy sessions is of utmost importance.
• Regardless of your current level of communications expertise, what will be prioritized is a dedication to learn on-the-job and grow professionally in the field of communications.
• Previous work experience, professional/academic qualifications in communications are welcomed, but not required.
• Teams with limited communications capacity and resources will be given special consideration.
• Willingness to pay forward the gained knowledge in your organization.
• Passionate to join and contribute to the development a pan-European community of non-profit communicators.
• Focus on the liberal non-profit actors, not on political parties.
• The learning journey focuses on professionals from Europe only. Preference for participants from East and Southeast Europe.
• Alumni of previous LCN Editions Non-profit are allowed to apply again, as the programme is slightly different. LCN alumni of LCN Youth edition, run by LYMEC, or of LCN Masterclass, run by ELF Secretariat, are allowed to apply. However, priority will be given to new applicants and not members of LCN.

LCN Resources

Don’t miss out the chance to discover highlights and insights from these world-class trainers from the first 3 editions of LCN. Check out the full keynote speeches of Rory Sutherland from LCN: 2023, 2022, 2021.

Programme Overview

9 Online Sessions:             30 April - 6 June 2024

Schedule is in CEST (UTC+2) Brussels time

Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst, PhD Student in Political Economy at King’s College London; Former Secretary General of IFLRY

Co-Facilitator: Boryana Atanassova, LCN Project Leader and Co-facilitator; Senior Regional Communications Manager for East and Southeast Europe, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom

 

30 April, Tuesday

17:00 - 19:00 CEST          Meet & Greet. Mapping Where Do You Stand?

Speaker: Dr. Milosz Hodun, European Liberal Forum; Projekt Polska (TBC)

Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst

Co-Facilitator: Boryana Atanassova

 

7 May, Thursday

17:00 - 19:00 CEST          Workshop 1: Hope-based Communication - a Smart Strategy for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights

Trainer: Thomas Coombes (UK), Founder and Director of Hope-based Communications,  Communications and Human Rights Strategist, Expert on Strategies for Social Change, a TED-speaker, Former Head of Brand and Deputy Communications Director of Amnesty International

Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst

 

9 May, Tuesday

17:00 - 19:00 CEST          Workshop 2: Hope-based Communication - a Smart Strategy for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights

Trainer: Thomas Coombes (UK), Founder and Director of Hope-based Communications,  Communications and Human Rights Strategist, Expert on Strategies for Social Change, a TED-speaker, Former Head of Brand and Deputy Communications Director of Amnesty International

Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst

 

13 May, Monday

17:00 - 19:00 CEST          Workshop 3: The Missing Magic in Your Communications Strategy: Choosing the Right Objectives

Trainer: Kivi Leroux Miller (USA), Founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide. Author “Content Marketing for Nonprofits”

Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst

 

15 May, Wednesday

17:00 - 19:00 CEST          Workshop 4: Diversifying Your Writing Styles to Reach the Right People

Trainer: Kivi Leroux Miller (USA), Founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide. Author “Content Marketing for Nonprofits”

Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst

 

20 May, Monday

17:00 - 19:00 CEST          Workshop 5: Communications Planning and Workflow Tools That Make Life Easier

Trainer: Kivi Leroux Miller (USA), Founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide. Author “Content Marketing for Nonprofits”

Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst

 

22 May, Wednesday

17:00 - 19:00 CEST          Workshop 6: Why Communicators Need to Set Boundaries and How to Figure Out Your Own 

Trainer: Kivi Leroux Miller (USA), Founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide. Author “Content Marketing for Nonprofits”

Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst

 

27 May, Monday

15:00 - 17:00 CEST          Inspirational Talk: The Science and Magic of Message Discipline - Secrets from a Spin Doctor

Trainer: Nick Clelland (South Africa), Author of ‘Spin: The Art of Managing the Media’, CEO of Resolve Communications, Trainer at FNF’s International Academy for Leadership in Germany; Director of political communications operations on three continents, Former MP for the Democratic Alliance Party, South Africa

Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst

Mind the different time slot. This session is also open to all alumni of the umbrella cooperation programme - Liberal Communicators Network (different edition rans by FNF, LYMEC, ELF Secretariat, Projekt Polska), Tell Me Your Story alumni and all ELF member organizations.

 

6 June, Thursday

Consultations & Graduation 

 

Speaker: Tamás Toplak, Head of Communications, European Liberal Forum (TBC)

Speaker: Martin Kothee, Regional Director for East and Southeast Europe, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (TBC)

Speaker: LYMEC (TBC)

Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst

Co-Facilitator: Boryana Atanassova