Victims’ Rights Advocates from 10 EU Countries Gather in Brussels to Learn Innovative Advocacy Tools
Brussels, Belgium – December 2, 2024
Often called an advocacy paradise, Brussels offers a unique backdrop for driving policy change, with the European Commission, European Council, and European Parliament all within reach. Against this vibrant political landscape, representatives from victim support organizations across 10 EU countries convened on November 28–29 at Victim Support Europe’s (VSE) Brussels office to explore innovative tools for advancing victims’ rights. For over three decades, VSE has been a leading force in victims’ rights advocacy, shaping EU policy and promoting justice through evidence-based strategies.
Central to the event was the power of storytelling—an approach backed by research from Stanford, which shows that people are 63% more likely to remember stories than facts alone. Day 1 featured a workshop titled “Storytelling as a Tool for Advocacy and Influencing Policy Change,” led by Marina Kazakova, Senior Communications Officer at VSE, with support from multimedia storyteller Sara Maino. Participants learned how to leverage storytelling techniques to engage policymakers, drawing on insights from psychology, group dynamics, and the political landscape often buried in grey literature.
The workshop began with “The Story of Your Name,” an activity encouraging participants to reflect on personal identity as a foundation for powerful storytelling. Next was the “Silent Sound Walk,” a mindfulness exercise designed to heighten sensory awareness and connect emotional experiences to advocacy narratives. “The Story of Us” followed, fostering collaboration by emphasizing shared experiences and collective purpose. The final exercise, “The Story of an Object Found at the Sound Walk,” tasked participants with using structural and sensory principles to craft narratives, reinforcing their ability to tell compelling stories for policy influence.
Kazakova emphasized the importance of balancing evidence with emotion in effective advocacy: “As Kahneman wisely noted, no one ever makes a decision because of a number; they need a story that resonates with their own—a story that aligns with the one already in their head.”
Participants learned how to develop clear storytelling goals that align with advocacy objectives, analyze narratives that resonate with both policymakers and the public, and use storytelling techniques to boost engagement.
Case studies demonstrated how storytelling can transform complex data into compelling visuals, humanize statistics, and use personal experiences to drive change. Role-play exercises also revealed the emotional stakes involved in policymaking, underscoring the need for feelings in advocacy.
Day 2, led by Efthymis Antonopoulos, Junior Policy Manager at VSE, shifted the focus to research-driven advocacy. Participants learned to set advocacy priorities by identifying specific policy sub-objectives and aligning them with overarching goals. Antonopoulos emphasized the importance of measurable outcomes and strategic timing, guiding participants through the policy-making process and highlighting key opportunities, such as EU consultations and stakeholder events, to advance legislative goals.
The workshop equipped attendees to translate evidence-based insights into actionable advocacy strategies, fostering collaboration between local and EU-level organizations to enhance victims’ rights across Europe. As Antonopoulos noted, “Effective advocacy blends data, timing, and human connection—key ingredients for driving lasting policy change.”
