Rebelle
Communication is important, but what if the problem runs deeper than the message itself? For the women’s movement Rebelle, we delved into their target audience and offerings. Together, we initiated a transformation that set the entire organization on a new course. Thanks to a comprehensive analysis and strategic reorientation, Rebelle developed a new, powerful voice—one that truly resonates with women.
The customer
Rebelle, a progressive women’s movement with strong roots in the socialist tradition, is committed to issues related to sexuality, health, and education. Striking a balance between sociocultural work and family-oriented activities, they organize workshops, awareness campaigns, and book clubs, and work with volunteers throughout Flanders and Brussels. An organization that lives up to its name: combative, committed, and full of ideas.
The question
Rebelle was grappling with a clear question: How can we better communicate what we offer so that more women attend our activities? When we took a closer look at their organizational structure and recent name change (from Viva SVV to Rebelle), we realized that the problem ran deeper. The question the organization should really be asking is: Do our activities actually align with the needs of our target audience? Instead of jumping straight into communication, we decided to work together to develop an offering with as much impact as possible—by starting with what the target audience was really looking for.
The impact
With our support, Rebelle has reinvented itself by overhauling its internal structure and refining its core mission. They now present their vision much more clearly and purposefully, with a focus on issues such as discrimination against women in healthcare. No longer a disjointed collection of activities, but a clear, recognizable voice. Over the course of about nine sessions, we observed a striking evolution: where there had previously been a clear division between the various departments, a strong sense of unity gradually emerged.
The challenge
Throughout this process, we faced a number of significant challenges. First: How could we bring Rebelles’ diverse activities—ranging from sociocultural work to parenting support—together under one clear, activist banner, in order to make the greatest possible impact? And second: What strategy should we use? Should they mobilize people, take to the barricades, or lobby? To get a clear picture of this, we started by asking whether their target audiences were still the right ones. Who exactly did they need to reach in order to achieve their impact?
Using personas and empathy mapping, we set out to discover what truly matters to their audience. That analysis revealed that their target audience needed something different from what Rebelle was offering at the time: women wanted a platform where they could make their voices heard and discuss taboo topics. Those insights led to a strategic framework—a living document that aligns everyone within the organization. This framework works from the end to the beginning: first, it defines the impact Rebelle wants to make in fifty years; then, it determines what actions they need to take now to get there.
Externally, the strategic document determined which new activities were needed and which areas of expertise Rebelle needed to define, but there was also work to be done internally. There was a need for a more efficient way of working, clear priorities, and a greater focus on leadership, since the urge to do everything with volunteers often slows things down. Only once these issues are addressed can Rebelle further roll out its external strategy and make a real impact. What began with a single question ultimately led to deeper insights and a solid foundation for the future.
The collaboration
Thanks to a well-assembled core team, our collaboration with Rebelle went smoothly from the start. Gathering feedback was important, so we regularly sent out online surveys to all employees, inviting them to offer criticism and ask questions. Together with the director, we prepared a presentation that made it clear the core team had the mandate to implement changes. This allowed us to strike a balance between broad support and efficient decision-making.
"The impact strategy is very much alive in our organization. By communicating regularly about the levers and areas of development, we get people on board with the vision. Making an impact, strategy, objectives, and transparency are terms we use often—we know what needs to be done."
Working with you has also helped us take steps toward professionalizing our operations: we began implementing a new organizational structure, established clear internal communication, and took steps toward digitizing our operations… these and other initiatives will be further addressed during the upcoming policy period. "This process outlines the broad strokes and provides us with a solid foundation."
Isa Verlaenen - Director of Rebelle vzw
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