Overview

In an age where crises overlap—from climate change and public health to misinformation and social unrest—traditional campaigns are struggling to make a meaningful impact. Crisis Navigators Bootcamp was built to give communicators, campaigners, and system changers a new lens: one grounded in empathy, emotional intelligence, and systems thinking.

The Challenge

Conventional campaigning often falls short in the face of complexity. The “polycrisis” era demands not just clearer messaging, but deeper understanding of audiences, emotional nuance, and collective response. Changemakers need new frameworks to move from reaction to reflection.

Our Approach

Together with Mindworks Lab, we co-created a 3-day immersive bootcamp built on experiential, collaborative, and reflective learning. The program introduced tools such as audience empathetic approaches, emotional mapping, and crisis simulations, equipping participants to design campaigns that don’t just inform but also connected. Each day followed a specific arc: framing the problem, uncovering new perspectives, and designing shared solutions.

What We Delivered

• A 3-day immersive bootcamp combining psychology, systems thinking, and campaign design
• Facilitated workshops on emotional mapping, empathy in crisis, and adaptive communication
• Real-time crisis simulations and collaborative solution-building
• Learning content and tools for changemakers to integrate into their ongoing work
• Curated mix of participants from NGOs, public policy, media, climate tech, and health

We began by grounding participants in the emotional realities of working in crisis, from burnout to public distrust. Rather than rushing into tactics, the program focused on slowing down, connecting, and reframing narratives through shared experiences. Every tool introduced was tested, applied, and reflected on in real-time.

Project Output

The program successfully ran a full-cycle learning experience across 3 intensive days. We delivered five core tools including emotional mapping, campaign framing guides, and simulation design templates. Participants represented over 15 leading organizations from Greenpeace and CERAH to Kok Bisa, Think Policy, and New Energy Nexus, bridging sectors like climate, health, education, and public policy. Many left with actionable next steps and new networks to apply the frameworks into their campaign work.

Impact Highlights

• Trained changemakers in emotional intelligence, crisis framing, and adaptive leadership
• Introduced emotional mapping as a strategic communication tool
• Facilitated crisis simulations to practice complexity navigation
• Engaged 15+ organizations including Greenpeace, CERAH, Nafas, Kok Bisa, and more
• Fostered cross-sector connections between climate, policy, mental health, and education fields
• Equipped participants to reframe and redesign their campaigns using psychological insight