Rebelle
Communication matters—but what if the real issue lies deeper than the message? For Rebelle, a progressive women’s movement, we took a close look at its audiences and activities. Together, we set a transformation in motion that gave the whole organisation a new direction. Through in-depth analysis and strategic refocusing, Rebelle developed a powerful new voice—one that genuinely speaks to women.
The client
Rebelle is a progressive women’s movement with deep roots in the socialist tradition, working on issues related to sexuality, health and education. Combining socio-cultural work with family-focused activities, it organises workshops, awareness-raising campaigns and book clubs, supported by volunteers throughout Flanders and Brussels. True to its name, Rebelle is bold, committed and full of ideas.
The question
Rebelle came to us with a clear question: how can we communicate our activities more effectively so that more women take part? But when we examined its dual organisational structure and recent name change—from Viva SVV to Rebelle—we realised that the issue went deeper. A more fundamental question emerged: do these activities actually meet the needs of Rebelle’s audiences? Rather than jumping straight into communications, we worked together to reshape its programme for maximum impact, starting with what women were actually looking for.
The impact
With our support, Rebelle reinvented itself by redesigning its internal structure and sharpening its core mission. It now communicates its vision with far greater clarity and purpose, focusing on issues such as discrimination against women in healthcare. What was once a disconnected collection of activities has become a clear and recognisable voice. Over approximately nine sessions, we saw a remarkable shift: the clear divide between different departments gradually gave way to a strong sense of unity.
The challenge
The process presented us with several significant challenges. First, how could we bring Rebelle’s diverse activities—from socio-cultural work to parenting support—together under one clear, activist banner and maximise their collective impact? Second, which strategy would help Rebelle achieve that impact? Should it mobilise people, take to the streets or influence policymakers? To answer these questions, we first examined whether Rebelle was focusing on the right audiences. Who did it actually need to reach to achieve its intended impact?
Using personas and empathy mapping, we explored what genuinely mattered to those audiences. The analysis showed that women needed something different from what Rebelle was offering at the time: they wanted a platform where they could make their voices heard and discuss subjects that were still considered taboo. These insights formed the basis of a strategic framework—a living document that keeps the whole organisation aligned. The framework works backwards from the desired impact: it first defines the difference Rebelle wants to make over the next fifty years and then identifies the actions it needs to take today.
Externally, the framework clarified which new activities were needed and which areas of expertise Rebelle should focus on. Internally, the organisation needed more efficient ways of working, clearer priorities and a stronger focus on leadership. Its desire to involve volunteers in every part of the work could sometimes slow progress. Only by strengthening these internal foundations could Rebelle fully put its external strategy into practice and achieve greater impact. What began with a single question ultimately led to deeper insights and a solid foundation for the future.
The collaboration
Thanks to a carefully selected core team, our collaboration with Rebelle ran smoothly from the outset. Gathering feedback was essential, so we regularly invited all colleagues to share their views, challenge ideas and ask questions through online surveys. Together with the director, we prepared a presentation that made it clear that the core team had the authority to implement change. This helped us balance broad support with efficient decision-making.
“Our impact strategy is embedded throughout the organisation. By communicating regularly about its strategic levers and development priorities, we bring people with us on the journey. Impact, strategy, objectives and transparency have become part of our everyday language. We know what we need to do.
“Working with S&L also helped us take important steps towards professionalising the way we work. We began implementing a new organisational structure, clarified our internal communications and made progress on digitalisation. These and other priorities will be developed further during the next strategic period. The process has set a clear direction and given us a firm foundation to build on.”
Isa Verlaenen
Director, Rebelle vzw
Rebelle had support of these team members
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