Animating System Change is a our animated films and capacity building work stream, supported by the Poldham Puckham Charitable Trust. More and more civil society organisations call for ‘system change not climate change’ yet without connecting the dots sufficiently with the economic system. We are generating strategic communication tools, focussing on the medium of animated film, to communicate system change to wider audiences, and drawing on experts for content input and for capacity building workshops for campaign partners with national reach.
In October 2022 we released our most recent film, in collaboration with researchers from CUSP (The Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity) and campaigners from Wellbeing Economy Alliance. Our beautiful 6 minute film, Don’t Tell Me to Just Breathe (watch it below) seeks to address the often silenced connections between climate breakdown, the pressures of the current growth addicted economic model, and the spiralling crises of anxiety and depression in rich countries like the UK. The novel angle of mental health outcomes is used to explain the key pillars of a Wellbeing economy as a solution set, describing an economic system that would work within social and environmental boundaries. Rated 5 stars on Films for Action, do also check out more about the project, including further reading resources, here: cusp.ac.uk/swarm-dynamics
Our Communications Learnings Report, including findings from research interviews about the film we conducted with senior campaigners from national environmental NGOs, can be read here: Comms Learnings Report – Just Breathe