Change doesn't start with talking
Using Traineeships to Shape a New Role for Communication in Societal Transitions
Major social changes do not come about simply by better informing people. They require a systemic perspective, research, design, new narratives, behavioral interventions, collaboration, imagination, and room to experiment. That is why MICA, in collaboration with the Transformational Media research group at NHL Stenden, is exploring a different role for communication: not communicating about change, but using communication as part of the change itself.
From the energy transition and the circular economy to positive health and digitalization: major societal changes require more than just a good plan or a technical solution. They require people to think and act differently, organizations to collaborate differently, and new perspectives on what is possible.
That’s exactly where a new approach to communication begins for us.
That is why, together with the Transformational Media research group at NHL Stenden and Firda, we are developing a new, practice-oriented approach that brings together scientific knowledge and real-world practice. We translate insights from research into concrete interventions, formats, and methods. We don’t test these in a theoretical setting, but right in the midst of real-world transition challenges. What motivates people to take action? Where does resistance arise? What helps people develop new perspectives? And how do we make the actual impact of an intervention visible and measurable?
We continually incorporate what we learn from this into our approach. In this way, step by step, we develop a methodology that can be applied to various societal transitions.
From Research to Action: Transition Communication Traineeships
The next step is to put this new way of working into practice on a larger scale. That is why we are developing Transition Communication traineeships. From June 30, 2026, through June 30, 2027, trained communication professionals will tackle concrete transition challenges at government agencies, companies, and civil society organizations.
Not as an additional communication resource that simply reports on what has been decided after the fact, but as professionals who collaborate on the change initiative from the very beginning. They assess the current situation, incorporate different perspectives, and develop and test interventions that can help drive progress.
In doing so, we bring together three worlds: knowledge, talent, and practice. Organizations are given the opportunity to develop and test new approaches as part of their own change initiatives. Professionals learn to navigate the complex landscape of societal transitions. And MICA and NHL Stenden gather new insights into what works, what doesn’t, and why.
In this way, we are not only developing a validated methodology for transition communication, but also a new approach to social change.
Why now, of all times?
Climate, energy, circularity, health, and digitalization are not changes with a clear beginning and end. They affect entire systems and involve various interests, uncertainties, and perspectives.
That's also changing the field of communications.
Simply providing information is not enough. Communication professionals must increasingly be able to deal with resistance and uncertainty, understand behavior, engage different groups, help people envision new perspectives, and create space for dialogue and experimentation.
That calls for a different role. It’s not just about explaining what’s changing, but about helping to make change possible.
Are you working on a transition issue?
Is your organization working on a social change initiative related to, for example, energy, circularity, health, or digitalization? And are you looking for ways to not only inform people but also to truly make them part of that change?
We’d love to get in touch with you. Together, we can explore how this new approach—or the involvement of a Transition Communication trainee—might help address your challenge.
About the Project
Didier Kick – Director of MICA
didier.kick@mediainnovatiecampus.nl
About the MICA Lab for Transition Communication
Heinze Elzinga – Project Manager, MICA Lab for Transition Communication
About the Traineeships
Hanneke – Project Manager, MICA Talent Pool
hanneke@mediainnovatiecampus.nl
Made possible in part by
The project is made possible in part by a grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is co-financed by the European Union and the Northern Netherlands Partnership (SNN).
