Building capabilities
Change starts with supporting people to learn and lead. At the heart of Design for Life is the commitment to build the skills, connections and confidence people need to fulfil their potential.
Economic, social and environmental crises have placed our world in a fragile, unbalanced and degenerative state.
Our mission is to enable people, places and the planet to flourish in harmony.
Our vision is for a world where everyone can fulfil their potential and contribute to more resilient, rebalanced and regenerative futures.
We believe everyone has the potential and creativity to effect change.
We work with people throughout their lives, and across society, to achieve regenerative impact; from children and young people to entrepreneurs, businesses and communities.
Our approach to change involves many different disciplines and perspectives.
Our work focuses on three areas. These are:
Change starts with supporting people to learn and lead. At the heart of Design for Life is the commitment to build the skills, connections and confidence people need to fulfil their potential.
People effect change by coming together. Design for Life grows the connections that organisations, communities, industries and regions need in order to flourish.
We are aiming for systemic, long-term change. Design for Life develops and influences the conditions needed to enable people, communities and organisations to regenerate our world.
We are unique. We don’t just generate ideas; we act on them. The RSA has been turning world-leading ideas into world-changing actions since 1754. Our research and innovation has changed the hearts and minds of generations of people. Central to all our work are our mission-aligned Fellows; a global network of innovators and changemakers.
Explore our Circle community to engage with our work.
Are you a Fellow? Be part of our Circle community and help us shape a world where everyone can fulfil their potential and contribute to more resilient, rebalanced, and regenerative futures.
The RSA Fellowship is a global network of changemakers enabling people, places and the planet to flourish in harmony. RSA Fellows have been at the forefront of significant social impact since 1754. We invite you to be part of this change.
Fellowship events / Design for Life series
The Coffee House (RSA House) and Online via Zoom
Join us for a look at the research and themes that are emerging from our partnership with Arts Council England and the Creative PEC, exploring Creative Corridors - where existing creative clusters have the potential to thrive through better collaboration and coordination.
At the House / Fellowship events / Design for Life series
The Coffee House (RSA House) and Online via Zoom
This summer, the RSA will work with Fellows to craft a series of life-centric learning journeys rooted in our capabilities to test on the RSA’s Design for Life Awards. Jahnvi Singh (Senior Learning Designer) will share more about our vision for the learning experiences that will bring these capabilities to life.
Fellowship events / Design for Life series
The Coffee House (RSA House) and Online via Zoom
In the 19th century, the RSA invented the modern exam. Now we're championing a 21st century innovation to validate the skills and capabilities that exams miss. Tom Kenyon (Head of Enterprise Design) will share our work with Badge Nation on recognising the skills that aren’t well captured by exams.
News
Aoife O'Doherty
The RSA Student Design Awards 2023 shortlist has been announced. Across nine briefs, 70 students are working to bring positive social change to people, place and planet.
The Capabilities for Life faculty group is comprised of dedicated learning facilitators and visionaries from around the world. Its mission is to transform the way capabilities skills, behaviours, mindsets and values are nurtured, focusing on connecting people’s needs with those of the planet.
Press release
The RSA, together with leaders from across government, civil society and the creative industries, finalise bold new ideas for the North of England’s creative industries, to be revealed in full at the Convention of the North on 29 February.