Supporting the activation of new futures for communities
The forces shaping the second quarter of the 21st century are creating unprecedented challenges and opportunities for social cohesion across Australia: more frequent and intense weather events, technological disruption of local economies, gender-based violence, ageing in place, and collective wellbeing.
Many experts predict that these forces will accelerate inequality – unless we do something about it.
The opportunity as we see it is to create the time and space to reimagine the future of our communities with processes that are grounded in likely realities, imbued with a sense of possibility and informed and inspired by change that is already happening in communities around the world.
In our work we’ve found that processes that support communities to envision and act on new futures:
Connect diverse populations to forge new and unlikely relationships
Expand sense of possibility so that what seems unthinkable today becomes a sensible choice tomorrow
Embrace multiple knowledge and perspectives in a way that deepens understanding of past, present and future possibilities.
Influence strategy and resource allocation to focus on tangible change and making preferred futures a reality
Inspire collective action and provide proof of what’s possible
These are principles that can be used to inform short engagements as we did with WWF, or longer more intensive processes that we completed with communities through Fire to Flourish and are shaping up through the National Futures Initiative.
Real world application
In our experience, futuring approaches can be applied and support different intensities of engagement. We partnered with WWF to deliver a two day ‘local learning lab’ for communities that was focused on creating regenerative local futures.
The Local Learning Lab model was prototyped across three regional locations: Meringo, Eurobodalla (on Brinja-Yuin Country), Mount Barker, Adelaide Hills & Fleurieu (on Peramangk Country) and Warragul, Gippsland (on Kurnai Country).
As part of Fire to Flourish we worked intensively with co-design circle of 6-12 people in four local government areas affected by the 19/20 bushfires. Over six month periods, we worked alongside community members to develop a vision for community adaptation, a garden of ideas (a portfolio of potential responses) and then, through a participatory process, funded the projects and initiatives that would realise that vision.
Examples of our work in this area
Reflecting on the diversity of our work, we’ve seen four common patterns of how collectively we’ve helped social innovation happen in place, with community. You can read more about the four ways we can work together here.
National Futures Initiative
Introducing a new national initiative to create the opportunity for individuals, communities, and organisations to imagine a more socially just future.
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Catalysing regenerative capabilities in place
Co-creating and delivering three Local Learning Labs in place to catalyse regenerative capabilities in place.
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